The Eye That Never Weeps
by forsaken weaver
Summary: Kakashi meets a strange woman who, without him knowing, was a member of a group of bandits searching for the Lazarus eye. rated T for some events...
1. Day One

_I decided to edit the first few chapters I have uploaded after spotting a couple of errors.. Not to mention that ideas were sacttered all over the place. And the paragraphs were bunched together even with four spaces separating them. Hayy.. Anyway, this story took place before the Naruto series. And there are some spoilers about Kakashi's past (which explains the cameo appearance of Rin.. and Obito). And well, I know everyone knows this but I gotta say it anyway: I own Hatake Kakashi… yep.. and pigs fly.._

* * *

_Find the eye that never weeps, and you will find your place.._

After long years of dreaming and longing, she had finally located the precious eye during an incident that happened last week. Gazing at the glittering water surface, she was once again reminded that, despite the misfortunes fate has thrown her way, a greater prize was waiting in exchange. And, this time, it was the one precious thing she had longed for all these years.

**few weeks ago..**

Cold wind blew. Her thin, worn-out kimono which provided little warmth, forced her to embrace herself. Staying outside and eavesdropping by the door isn't new, she had done it a couple times. And she had been caught a couple of times. Sometimes she went unpunished, sometimes she paid the price. This time it didn't matter if they would punish her or not, she must know everything about the Lazarus Eye... especially now that they have possibly located it.  
"Genius." chief muttered under his breath. "Who would've thought the folks have hidden it in Konoha."  
"Konoha is practically impenetrable. It is actually an obvious choice."  
"But they have always maintained their distance away from the issue. They never stuck their nose into it, what more meddle?"  
The chief crossed his bulky arms over his strong chest and sat back into his chair. It's obvious that his men are excited to steal the eye from Konoha, however, he could also sense their uncertainty. _Konoha is practically impenetrable_, he recalled someone say.  
"This is our chance. It could be here, we'll never know unless we make it our business to know."  
"Are you insane!" a thin man with slit-like eyes stood up, slamming his palms against the table. "How in the world are we gonna do that?" "We haven't planned yet!"  
"And how do you execute a plan, huh?"  
The heated debate grated at his nerves, and the last thing he ever wanted was to make an important decision with clouded reason. "No arguments please!" he said calmly but with strong authority that two of his men slumped back to their wooden seats in obedience.  
"We must first find out if it has indeed reached Konoha." he snapped his fingers and a tall, thin woman with brown hair and alert, brown eyes appeared at his side. "It is risky to send anyone of you.. so I am assining Kaiko to find it out for us. A woman, afterall, is the most unexpected spy."  
Murmurs grew louder. "Chief," someone finally said. "Isn't that much too risky?"  
"Besides, we'll never know, she might run off and never come back."  
Kaiko bent her head low, but despite such composure, she wasn't sure why the chief had thought of giving her such important task. She had grown up as a slave in this camp, like her mother, who had passed away when she was just twelve years old. She wasn't her biological mother, Kaiko came to realize, for she was already old and gray when Kaiko was just old enough to recall faces.  
"Five days." the chief said. "That is all we can give her. When the sun sets on the fifth day, she should be here with the information we want."  
One of his men was about to speak but the chief countered him right ahead. "She will be back."

**DAY ONE**

A female scream sliced through the silence of the deep forest, echoing from all directions. Contemplations regarding his mission was suddenly cut short. Finding his way quietly but quickly, the scream led him to a flowing stream and.. to a crime in progress. He was hiding behind an old tree, looking at three men kneeling over their screaming victim. So busy these three lowlifes were that he figured he could attack them easily. In that distance, his kunai could surely do the work for him. Holding three in one hand, he threw them and his three targets were dead on the spot.  
"Lowlifes.." he muttered under his breath as he advanced toward the terrified victim.  
He bent over one corpse with a kunai stuck to its back and pulled it aside. He did this to the remaining two and piled them up like rice sacks. It was not until then that he saw the young lady, about eighteen or so, lying on the ground with arms and legs spread apart. She was crying. His heart was crushed.  
"Hush now," he said softly as he wiped the blood from her broken lip with a gentle hand. "Please don't cry." He then wiped the tears from the sides of her eyes.  
Looking around, he spotted a piece of clothing and moved to pick it up. He tore it in two and used one to wipe the blood off her forehead and lower lip. Taking the other half, he wrapped it around her trembling body and carried her in his arms.

She opened her eyes. Somebody was walking alongside of her. Owamaru, one of the chief's trusted henchmen. He was short-tempered, with brown skin and very thick brows that they look like one thick straight line above his eyes, pressed clips and seemingly clenched jaw. Kaiko was personally terrified of this man for he seemed to be in eternal control of a bottled up anger deep inside him. He speaks less, but always straight to the point.  
Owamaru grabbed her arm and shoved her to walk faster, and after a quick but strong tug at waist the of her kimono, her clothes came off. Kaiko fought but he threatened to slice her into two if she doesn't follow the path she was ordered to take. Puzzled and disoriented, she ran and ran, and when she looked over her shoulder three men were chasing her. And then somebody grabbed her...  
Kaiko screamed.  
She opened her eyes once again. Time seemed to have passed. Her body ached less, but it felt so stiff that she feared for a moment that she can never move. She lifted her fingers first, one after another, and then slowly moving upward until she could move her arms. I'm still alive.. Slowly, Kaiko lifted her head and looked around. There was somebody with her, standing by the window. Her vision was slightly blurred, but she could see it was looking at her. She fixed her gaze at it and squinted. It was a he, with white hair and a third of his face hidden beneath locks of hair and garments. The only eye peeking beneath locks of hair seemed sleepy, as if he was eternally bored.  
"I'm glad you're awake." the door was open, she barely realized until it was already closing and a woman with very short, nearly boyish, haircut was by her bedisde. "Not that I'm really asking you to stay awake, you know," she continued. "You can rest some more until you've totaly recovered."  
The lady made her drink something, medicine perhaps, and left. Light-headed, Kaiko turned her head to the other side to look at the man with white hair but he was gone.  
Kaiko closed her eyes and slept.  
It was the same dream, haunting and nagging her in her supposed slumber. And she, again, woke up screaming.. not for help, not for anyone. She just screamed as if it would make everything go away.  
"Miss. Miss. Wake up." It was the lady who took care of her, grabbing her by the shoulders and asking her to open her eyes. Kaiko sat up and ran her hand over her forehead.  
"I'm so sorry. Did I wake you?"  
"No." she walked away from the matress and took something from the other end of the room. "I was about to bring your food anyway." She turned and brought Kaiko a tray with something in it. Food. "Its nice to know that this time around, yo'll be enjoying the food I made."  
Kaiko looked at the tray and felt her stomach growl.  
"I know you'll be hungry, you never ate a thing the entire day!" she took a small bowl of soup, held it in her hand and dove a spoon into its contents.  
"No.." Kaiko warned in a surprisingly strong, loud voice. "I.. I can do it."  
She settled the bowl back to the floor. "Alright. The long sleep you had yesterday seem to have restored you completely."  
"Thank you." Kaiko said gratefully, slowly giving a low, honorific bow. "I wouldn't have made it without your help."  
"I didn't really do that much." she said with a chuckle. "You should thank Kakashi, he saved your life."  
"Ka-ka-shi?" she sat back and stared blankly at her, picturing white hair and one sleepy eye.  
"You can easily identify him when you get a chance to walk around here. Kakashi is the only one here whose face you can never see. He has this cover over half of his face," she raised her right hand and covered the lower half of her face, "and nobody ever saw him without it." she started to giggle. "I suppose he sleeps without removing that damn thing."  
Her fondness of this "Kakashi guy" didn't escape Kaiko, but she surely wanted to thank him. After all, he saved his life. "I really want to thank him." she confessed.  
"I can introduce you to him, if you like... that is, if we are fortunate enough to meet him by accident. You see, he's always nowhere to be found, simply comes out from who-knows-where."  
"I see." Kaiko replied, getting uneasy by her endless chatting.  
"Ok so I guess I'll just leave you here. Enjoy your meal!"  
Kaiko bent her head slightly and watched the kind lady close the door behind her.

After her meal, Kaiko decided to take a look around. Not only was she curious about the place, she also wanted to search for possible hints connected to the eye. Five days, she barely have any idea how long she had slept to figure out how much time is left. And is isn't clear to her why Owamaru did that, it wasn't part of the plan. The chief said that Owamaru was to accompany her through the forest until she had come close to the village of Konoha.. not for concerns over her safety, but to make sure she's not going to a different route by mistake, and also to find her way back. Kaiko never left the camp of the Shinrin bandits, she definitely knew nothing about the world outside of it.  
_Residents of Konoha are busy people_, Kaiko thought to herself while walking along another hallway which led to several halls. This is the temple where the leader of Konoha, or hokage resides, and also the place where legendary ninjas had trained. Whenever she heard of Konoha, she would always think of a strong wall surrounding the village and ninjas walking around town, carrying nasty weapons that would take the courage out of anyone. That conception of Konoha is very different from this place.  
Kaiko found a set of stairs, but before she could take one step toward it, somebody called from behind.  
"That is off limits." the voice warned firmly.  
Kaiko looked over her shoulder, it was Kakashi himself! Fishing for appropriate words to say, she simply stared at him.  
"Walking around already?"  
She nodded.  
"Hmm.. good for you."  
Kaiko turned to face him. "You are Kakashi, right?"  
He nodded. "Anko must've told you."  
Kaiko nodded. "And she told me that it was you who save my life."  
Her savior shrugged. "Did what I had to do. Next time, try not to go there by yourself. You'll never know, robbers are getting more and more deadlier these days." he turned to leave. "You should go back to the hospital and rest some more. It's evening anyway, bedtime is just around the corner."  
And he left just like that. The chief was right, Kaiko realized while making her way back to her room just as Kakashi had told her to do so, _A woman, afterall, is the most unexpected spy._


	2. Day Two

**DAY TWO**

Less interaction with people will minimize her chances of being found out. But she had to know the place, so she registered the company of Anko to show her around. Revealing the fact that she's not from Konoha is unaviodable, so Kaiko figured that she must weave an entire lifetime for herself. Lying was hard, but she convinced herself that the fewer lies, the safer she will be.  
"That's sad." Mitarashi Anko said to her. "I'm really sorry I asked."  
Kaiko shrugged. "It's a fact of life. I'm used to it, anyway."  
"What are the places you've been to, so far?"  
"Lots. I don't usually remember the names." Kaiko said sadly. "Bad memories are attached to the places, so I'd rather forget about them. That kept me going."  
_Bad memories are attached to places_, Anko said to herself, remembering the incident that took Kaiko to Konoha. He came across Kakashi that day, and he was carrying a woman in his arms. "She needs help, Anko." he had said to her, "Assaulted by three men in the woods." She heard the entire story as they hurriedly went along, and Anko told Kakashi he was too gentle on those three perverts. "I would've given them a worse death, were I in your place."  
"We're two very different people, Kaiko." she finally said after a period of silence. "I could set everything aside, but I will never, ever forget. It's something I am not capable of doing."  
Kaiko couldn't believe how good a liar she was. Not that she doesn't lie, she'd lied to the bandits more often than breathing, but making somebody outside of the Shinrin bandits believe her is something she thought she couldn't do. All her life, she had been surrounded by people who look down upon her as if she was the lowest creature that ever lived. It was a lie, she thought to herself. She and Anko had one thing in common: they do not forgive and forget.  
Another period of silence. Kaiko was occupied in her bubble of hatred; Anko was concerned whether the questions she wanted to ask were timely and appropriate.  
"Umm.. so what are your plans.." she finally said, kicking a small stone blocking her way. She couldn't tell whether an orphan like Kaiko could find a place to stay, somewhere one would really want to live in and settle down for good. Now that an unfateful accident had happened to her, it was uncertain if anyone would ever accept her with open arms. Anko is a woman, and she knows how people treat orphans, and how people treat those who... well, like what was done to Kaiko. Either she gets too much pity, or such great disgust. And that is something she would have to live with for the rest of her life.  
"I'm not really sure." Kaiko uttered sadly, disgusing her excitement that the subject finally came up. "I don't plan that much... things happen, you know. Plans aren't always easy to execute, so I'd rather not hope."  
_Such a pessimistic outlook_, Anko thought, but realistic. "Well, you can stay here, you know. I mean, stay here for awhile.. not that I don't want you to stay for good. It's up to you, you know. That's just my suggestion."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. I have shown you around, you've seen how nice the villagers are."  
Kaiko exhaled. She had shown her around, alright, but not within the residence of the Hokage. Kaiko felt a strong gut feeling that if the eye is here, it would be kept safe by the Hokage himself, therefore it'll be inside that guarded place. Hmph. Sneaking would be such an easy task, if not for the people roaming around, walking here and there, coming out of nowhere. She couln't risk being caught, the way Kakashi had found her last night.  
Oh well, she's got three more days left. Something could come up.  
"That's not a bad idea.."

Anko, as Kaiko had just realized, is one hell of a card player. She made a bet with Kakashi, who approached them during their early morning stroll with an orange book in hand, to surrender his apartment should he lose in a round of card game. Anko boasted of how smart Kakashi was, and how famous he was for the intelligence he possessed, but such brain wasn't enough to beat her in one round of cards. "How unfortunate." she had said while shaking her head. Kakashi was embarrassed, or so Kaiko thinks, that's why he agreed in such an outrageous deal.  
"If I win," Kakashi had said to Anko several minutes ago, "I shall become your ultimate master. You will do everything I say, for the rest of your life!"  
Anko agreed with a chuckle and off they went to a certain place where every ninja in town seem to hang around. "A game of death between me and genius Kakashi!" Anko had announced upon their arrival, and so every living being inside is watching intently at the game in progress.  
"Let me see you beat this!" Kakashi said with a triumphant laugh. He laid down his four cards on the table and beamed at a frowning, miserable-looking Anko.  
"Well, sad to say this, but..." Anko revealed her cards. Kakashi slumped back in his chair, "you better start looking for another place to stay."  
Kaiko didn't know anything about cards, but something about Kakashi convinced her that Anko would win the game in a snap. Maybe he doesn't look like the genius Anko says he is. I'm such an ungrateful bastard, Kaiko thought to herself with a chuckle.  
"Worry not, my friend, for you have found a new place to stay." Anko said to her, patting Kaiko's shoulder and smiling. "And you have a roomful of things you can use, except clothes, ofcourse."  
"WHAT!" he jumped off his chair. "That's not part of the deal!"  
Anko shot Kakashi a challenging look. "Wanna bet over another game of cards."  
He sat back down. "Ok, you win. You'll eventually win it, anyway." Kaiko struggled to speak above the loud, demented laughter coming from Anko. "I'm not really taking your apartment, Kakashi-sir."  
"YOU'RE NOT!?" Anko, who nearly choked in her laughter, looked at her.  
"You're not..." Kakashi said with such relief.  
"I mean, I'm not really sure if I will stay... for good. I can't be a burden to any of you."  
"Kaiko, you're not a burden." Anko assured her. "And Kakashi's more than glad to lend you his place, you know, he's just too afraid to show it."  
Kakashi didn't say anything, he didn't want to give Kaiko the wrong idea. He'd be happy to help her, although giving up the apartment is an entirely different issue.  
"C'mon.. he'll at least let you use his house for the meantime.." Anko glanced at Kakashi, seemingly convincing him to do just that. "Or you can stay with me."  
"Yeah right." Kakashi countered. "As if she could sleep with your very loud snores. You will not survive in her house, I'm telling you. Take mine instead." he finally said. "I can get used to snores."  
"You freaking pervert!" Anko barked back. "I'm letting her stay with me, not you!"  
Kaiko watched them bark remarks at one another and thought, _how unusual it is for people to insult each other and enjoy it_. She had grown up in a place where insults were insults and they really sting. Weird, but it only took her two days and now part of her kept wishing she lived in such wondrous place.  
"Alright. I'll show you my place." Kakashi told Kaiko, casting a sidewise glance toward Anko. "Anko's fourty-five minutes late for work." he said, whispering theatrically, although his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.  
"WHAT!" Anko ran off without even the slightest glance at Kaiko. And right beside her, Kaiko realized, was a chuckling, one-eyed, silver-haired ninja.

A normal Kakashi would've kept his distance, but something about Kaiko that day he found her in the forest touched a hidden compartment of his cold little heart. Living with a part of Obito - emotionally speaking - isn't that bad, however, the real Kakashi still lurks within. He's like an owl with two eyes independent from each other.. like two half-faces stitched together to form a new one. This kindness he didn't possess before was probably a part of Obito.. a parting gift.  
"This is the place." he said, opening the door and allowing his visitor to take a good look at his place... perhaps she would change her mind? "What do you think?"  
Kaiko walked barefoot, feeling the warmth of tatami mats. Back in the camp of the Shinrin bandits, her room was a small, poorly furnished stockroom with a worn-out mat for her to sleep on and an old kimono for her blanket. This room had a thick, comfortable mat with thick, warm and newly-changed sheets. Kaiko was so overwhelmed, she couldn't stop herself from crying.  
"What's the matter?" Kakashi asked him softly, quietly following her a few steps behind and instanly coming to her rescue (once again).  
"No, it's nothing..." Kaiko lied, wiping her eyes with the back of her finger. "Just, uh, allergy."  
Kakashi chuckled. "It's really nice and cozy down here, you know. And quiet."  
"Yes, I can see that."  
"And it's close to the academy, you can see it from there." he pointed toward a window at the other end of the room. Kaiko felt cold water douse over her. She immediately marched toward the said window and saw the ninja academy where great ninjas are being trained. She also saw the temple of the Hokage. And, she could easily access it though the rooftops. _Perfect_.  
"I bet Anko's in there."  
"She's an instuctor, just like me. But I'm few years her senior. We teach there for a living."  
"Is it good money?"  
"Hmm..." he was scratching the back of his head in thought. "Quite enough for me to survive."  
Kaiko laughed. "You're kidding."  
"No."  
"Yes you are."  
"So, you like it here."  
"Perfect."  
Kakashi exhaled. "So I'd better start moving out."  
Kaiko laughed, and Kakashi shared her mirth with his usual chuckle.

He was walking on all directions, taking some stuff here and there, rearranging this, throwing that, telling her about this and that. He doesn't seem like a very talkative person - in comparison to Anko - but he is nice, and he welcomed her like Anko did. _People here are nice, and hospitable_. Kaiko thought. _Nothing in comparison to where I came from_. Back with the Shinrin bandits, nobody treated her with such warmth, even the one she called mother. They do look out for each other, but mother never stood up for Kaiko's defense. They talk all the time, but conversations only involve their chores, their needs, etc. Never did they sit down and talk about nonsense but still enjoy the moment.  
"I'm an orphan." she lied, sitting comfortably on the warm floor with legs folded neatly beneath her. Kakashi was not too far away from her, sitting cross-legged on the floor. The apartment is all set, and the two of them were engaged in an activity called "letting time pass" - as Kakashi had put it.  
"I'm sorry."  
Kaiko smiled. "It's not your fault." He chuckled.  
"Do you intend to stay here? It'll put a stop to your constant travelling."  
"Travelling is nice." she said.  
"I know."  
"Have you ever travelled?"  
Kakashi paused to think it over. "Well, I have been to places. But I don't travel like, travel.. if you get what I mean."  
Kaiko nodded. "I wish I can travel.."  
"What.. isn't moving from place to place enough for you?"  
Kaiko bit her tongue. Oops. "I'd like to see the places you've seen." "Nothing astounding about them, really." he said, actually meaning it. He had been to places, right. He had seen famine, death, starvation, tragedies, greed.. nothing astounding.  
Silence followed. Nobody spoke, until Kakashi stood on his feet and made an excuse to leave. "I should be in the academy by now."  
"You're late." Kaiko teased.  
"I think so." he was on his way to the door.  
"Better get going."  
"Sure will."  
Kaiko watched him leave. It might seem crazy, but young and idiot she may be, her attraction toward his warmth didn't escape her instincts.

Anko was talking to another ninja when Kakashi caught her eye, sitting atop a tree branch and waving at her. "How about lunch break?" he shouted.  
"Why?"  
Kakashi jumped off the tree and made his way to Anko. "Well, we can invite the little one.."  
"What's this? The two of you going out?" Gai asked out of the blue and earned himself a punch.  
"Definitely no!" Anko barked back, retrieving her arm and clenching her fist. "I bet its this guy over here who owes me an answer. So now, it seems to me, Kaiko has earned a nick name from you."  
"Where's your question?"  
"Wow, Kakashi's dating someone?"  
"Yep." Anko nodded at Gai. "I think he's planning to.. I can smell it with my pretty little nose."  
"I'm just being... hospitable. It's not a crime."  
"Depends on the intentions of your so-called hospitality."  
"So, are you going to invite her over?" Anko asked, completely ignoring Kakashi's previous statements.  
"Yeah, I sure would want to meet her." Gai added.  
"I'm not dating her, she's making this all up." Kakashi explained, pointing accusing fingers at Anko. "You got it all wrong, Gai. Anko is joking. The girl barely recovered from her wounds and here you are making such an issue about her… and me."  
Gai exhaled and waved a hand in the air. "Okay. Okay. I guess I'd just leave you two.. I'm on a mission, I really have to go. If she's not coming over, then I guess there's no need to wait."  
Anko gave Kakashi a strong slap across the back. "He'll introduce her to you, Gai.. one of these days..."  
"I'm not saying anything."  
"Oh, he will!" Anko assured Gai, then faced Kakashi. "Why are you asking about the lunch break?"  
Kakashi simply shrugged off the question and made up an excuse to leave.

Memorizing the architecture will not find the Lazarus eye, nor will it help solve her second thoughts about snooping around such heavily guarded territory. If there is one secure place to hide the eye, that would obviously be the hokage's residence and Kaiko need not remind herself how she was easily spotted by Kakashi last night. The hokage is one very important man, ofcourse, a stranger like her who has nothing to do with the hokage - or even with the village of Konoha - possesses no reason to come anywhere near him. _And here comes my obstacle._ With a deep sigh, she stared at the orange sky lit by a setting sun swimming in its thin blanket of clouds. For several times in her barely colored life, she wanted to give into the hardships life had thrown her way. She's not a brave woman, otherwise she would've ran off to any place where the bandits would simply leave her alone. On second thought, Kaiko realized the bandits would not let her go. Especially the chief. According to him, Kaiko was taken by the group as payment for a debt her parents supposedly made... and for this she had to work hard, all for a debt she didn't know anything about.  
Kakashi had been like this - on his feet and staring at a particular set of symbols carved on stone - for several hours already. He wanted to wake Obito from his eternal sleep to ask more questions. He never found any answer, until now that the sky over his head had changed from blue, to orange, to black. Understanding oneself was a problem Kakashi never actually faced, and that is the problem. Even in his childhood he had a better understanding of what was, is and will be. Since Obito's fateful death, Kakashi had changed, and so the unshaken ground of idealism shook and crumbled before his very eyes. But wait, was it because of his unending grief over Obito's death? Perhaps there was something else... something greater than grief.  
_One foot first, then the other_. She felt a twinge of happiness when she successfully settled her foot over the windowsill. Based on her estimate, she could jump from Kakashi's window to the visible rooftops of the academy, and she's planning to do just that. Although Kaiko never really did anything like that, she thought that she'd rather die trying. _Now, only one foot left_. Firmly grasping the sides of the window, she readied herself for the next foot.  
"Kaiko!"  
Surprised, she looked down and slipped. Although Kakashi's heart skipped a beat, catching her right on time was no hard feat. "What are you doing!" he asked the woman whom he had caught in his arms.  
"I thought I was going to die!"  
"I thought that was the main idea."  
Kaiko detected the sarcasm in his tone and immediately wore her mask once again. "You saved me... again."  
"Yeah, what would you do without me."  
"I was just..." her glance drifted back to the window where she was balancing herself awhile ago and traced the path downwards, where her nasty fall would've ended if not for genius Kakashi. However, she wouldn't have slipped off if he didn't come and ruin her concentration in the first place.  
"I don't need an explanation." he said coldly as he helped her on her feet. It seemed to Kaiko that he was irritated for something she must've done. Surely it's not because of the fall.  
"What's wrong with you?" Kaiko asked with a genuine confusion in her voice.  
"Everything." he answered, his gaze darted toward the ground. If not for his slightly bent head, Kaiko wouldn't have known he wasn't looking at her as they spoke for his visible eye was covered by stray locks of gray hair. Since the day he saved her life, Kakashi never spoke to her with eyes, eye, downcast. And it really shouldn't bother her but it does. She wanted to know why he changed all of a sudden.  
With a shudder, Kaiko wondered if her disguise has finally been uncovered. Perhaps one of the bandits came to Konoha and told the authorities about her. Maybe this was their idea of finally eliminating her? No. Or maybe this is some form of punishment? How about Anko? What would she do?  
Busy in her own thoughts, Kaiko was unaware of the period of silence between them. Her heart continued hammering rapidly against her chest as ideas shifted from one to another.  
"Don't try to kill yourself."  
_Was that a threat?_ Kaiko felt his tight grip around her arm as his hand materialized from her pool of thoughts. He had been holding her arm since she was up on her feet, yet it was now that she became aware of it. Kakashi's grip tightened as he pulled her to him. Kaiko just stared in disbelief as he lowered his head for their first, brief kiss.


	3. Day Three

**DAY THREE**

It was seven in the morning, but he already looked as if he needed some sleep. Kaiko stole another glance at him and giggled. Yep, he's gorgeous alright. Imagine, her first real kiss with a man _this_ goodlooking. It was more than she could handle. Her day began when he came knocking on her door -- his door -- and asking her out for breakfast. Yep. Breakfast. And it was Kaiko's first date, ever.  
And her date, was, actually somewhat close to a hog.  
Kakashi lifted his head and glanced at her pretty but surprised face.  
"You gulped an entire bowl of ramen." she said, as if forcing her mind to believe that such a man existed. She had grown up in a company of men, yes, but they never ate like this.  
"Gulped?"  
"Yes. That is what you just did."  
"So you're not accustomed to a man's appetite?"  
She was shaking her head in disbelief. "You swallowed an entire..."  
He couldn't tell if he wanted to laugh, to be serious, or to do both.  
"I barely saw the other half of your face and you're done?!" It was funny because she looked truly shocked, and he wanted to laugh but wasn't sure if she wouldn't be offended.  
"You didn't remove that piece of cloth when you kissed me." "I didn't?"  
"Yes. And it's frustrating because a first kiss is supposed to be perfect." It was a lie, ofcourse. Kaiko couldn't wait for another record-breaking kiss from him.  
"It wasn't perfect?"  
"Certainly."  
Moving close to her, he lowered his head for a whisper. "Then teach me how to do it perfectly."  
Color rose to her cheeks. And to his cheeks as well. He, however, was able to hide it beneath that thin piece of garment. Whatever came into his mind to say that, he couldn't say. But he was definitely surprised by his actions.. by this "flirting". It seems that whenever he's with Kaiko, everything is a surprise.  
"This is too fast." he heard himself say.  
"I'm glad you know that!"  
"Well, I'm sorry, really. This is kind'a new to me.."  
Her brows shot up. "Oh? I was under the impression that this is your field of expertise."  
He shrugged and stood up. "I forgot to tell you something.."  
"What is it?"  
"I will be pretty busy today."  
"That's ok, we can hang around after work. Right?"  
"Nope." he was shaking his head. "I won't be here. Today. Maybe until tomorrow. Maybe until the day after that. I don't know."  
It felt as if someone poured a bowl of hot ramen over her head. "Really?"  
He nodded.  
"Where are you going?"  
He didn't answer. Well, things are too fast between her and Kakashi.. it made her feel as if she had to know everything.. as if she had the right to know. And it took her a while to realize that, no, she doesn't have the right to peer into his affairs.  
"At least I have you to take care of my place for the meantime."  
_A housekeeper_. She swore underneath her breath. _Is that why he took me out for breakfast? Because I'm going to take care of his place for the meantime?_  
"I'll be back. That's for sure."  
"Okay." She stood, turned her back on him and started her way home, leaving a barely-touched breakfast.  
"We'll do this again. When I get back." She heard him say, but she was too hurt to look over her shoulder.. or to stop and take the briefest glance and say goodbye. Kaiko shouldn't make such a fuss over such small things, really. She is here for a purpose, and instead of batting eyelashes and enjoying a bowl of noodles with a one-eyed ninja-hog, she should be looking for the Lazarus eye. _When you get back_, she thought to herself, _you probably won't see me here._

She roamed around Konoha, her mind occupied with the daunting task at hand. Without Kakashi, she had plenty of time to plan her way to the Lazarus eye... wherever these people had kept it. However, planning isn't as easy as it once was. She barely knew where the Lazarus eye is... if it truly is hidden here. And where. And how the hell will she find it. But she had to find it no matter what happens. Find it, steal it, give it to the chief in exchange for her freedom. And then...  
_And then...?_  
What will happen next? Where would she go?  
_Nowhere._  
Konoha would make one beautiful home for her... and with Anko, and the Ramen house, and Kakashi...  
She stopped in her tracks.  
If she leaves this place, there is definitely no way to see him again. Earlier today, she figured she was prepared for that. But now, after giving it some serious thought... she couldn't be so sure.  
She tried to sneak into several quarters, but it was practically impossible... even for a girl. The "newcomer" strategy wouldn't work, and Anko is unfortunately busy to back her up. Most of the people that caught her are faces she never saw here in Konoha. They don't walk around town and play card games with Anko, or eat Ramen, or make childish jokes. And they obviously do not underestimate her for being a teenage girl. Kaiko was finally convinced that Konoha is the best place to hide the Lazarus eye.. and she can never steal it. She must go back and tell the chief that she failed her first and only mission. And they will definitely humiliate and punish her for that.

Evening, the sun had already left its sky not a few minutes ago. After aimless walking, she had finally decided to come home... no, she forgot, it wasn't her home. She doesn't belong here. The villagers are too nice and too hospitable... and too honorable. She's not like them. And she can never be one of them. She will always be a slave to the Shinrin bandits. A poor soul destined to hang onto the edge of a knife for survival.  
She slowly ascended the stairs and padded until she had come face to face with his blurred door. Warm tears stung the corner of her eyes, which she brushed off with the back of her hand. It's time for her to realize that Konoha is just a dream. Leaving the group is just a dream. Kakashi is just a dream. She had to wake up sooner or later.  
With eyes still blurred by tears, she opened the door and entered. Inside, she caught sight of a futon and felt the stress of today's activities sinking in. She sat down and, unable to contain the tears any longer, started to weep. Barely possessing the courage to wake up from this perfect dream, she told herself that she needed to rest. Sleep. She had to sleep and dream some more. Sweet and happy dreams.  
She heard footsteps so she quickly turned around. There he was. Her dream walking toward her. This time, he allowed her a better glimpse of his face. And his eyes... sleepy eyes.  
"I missed you..." he scooped her in his arms and gave her another record-breaking kiss, this time, without the cover on his face.

Maybe it was wrong to dream too much.. Believing that something great is going to come soon enough. It's wrong because it's not right, it's not right because it's false. When you dream, it gives you the strength to wish and hope for the future.. that somehow, something good will happen when in reality, there is nothing worth looking forward to. Dreaming is wrong. And painful. But why do we keep on dreaming? Well, it does feel good to dream. It gives a temporary sense of euphoria. It gives you the courage to live even when there's nothing in your life that is worth living for.  
The sadness was too much. She was through staring at Kakashi's ceiling. She was through with holding back her tears. She was through pretending that there's nothing wrong with what she's doing, with whatever game she's playing. She wanted to release it all… but… there is no one who would understand. Not even Kakashi. He would definitely hate her for the rest of his life once he finds out.  
"Are you alright?"  
He was awake. And he noticed.  
"Is there something wrong?"  
She shook her head and bit her lip. She couldn't speak.. or at least she tried not to. It seems to her that, once she opened her mouth to explain, she would chatter endlessly and spill out every little secret she tried so desperately to hide.  
"Then why are you crying?"  
Her mind slowly wandered over what had happened between them and shook her head.  
"Did I do something wrong?"  
"No! No.. No..." she trailed off. Kakashi sat up and hugged her. Kaiko cried, letting out all the tears she had struggled so hard to keep. She's always crying and frankly, she had grown used to this kind of thing. Cry and it'll go away. Cry and it'll feel better. But now, it doesn't work that way anymore.  
"It's me... Not you. Definitely not you."  
"Shh.. it's okay. It's okay. Just breathe slow.."  
She did as told and was calm after a short while. Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed her right ear close to his chest and listened to the sound of his breathing. It's wrong to dream, but sometimes, dreaming is the only road to happiness. At least she was able to feel something like this for once in her life.. and perhaps in the lonely days to come, this memory would help her go on.  
It was with those hopeful thoughts that Kaiko found the road to dreamland.

_Blinding light. They call it "sun" and it was such a regal sight to behold! It emanates too strong a light, that whenever she looks straight at it, it temporarily robs her of vision. But she couldn't help staring at it… the sun was too beautiful.. too dominant… too noticeable. And she liked it.. even if it renders her blind for a moment… even if she couldn't see for a while. Afterall, it's just a short while anyway.  
Someone took her hand. She turned to see who it was, but found a cloak instead. A ragged cloack shaped like a man… no, a woman?! Its voice crackled, like sound of fire burning wood. And its frightening. She didn't want to hear something like it again. Find the eye that never weeps.. it she said. Now Kaiko was certain, it was a she. Find the eye that never weeps, and you will find your place.  
She looked at the cloak. Puzzled. How can you even say that, she asked. And then she realized, she wasn't a young girl anymore. The one staring at the cloaked figure was a woman. Her brown hair tied at the nape. How can you even say that, tell me!!  
For quite a while she thought the cloak was unfortunate enough to live with only one hand.. until another cold, bony hand shot out from the ragged garment and grabber her by the shoulders. It shook her, rocking the every fiber of her being as if to wake her up from a deep slumber. And with that strong force, Kaiko realized that the cloak was shaking as well. Shaking. And the cloak finally fell off, revealing a hideous face that Kaiko couldn't help but stare at. She had long, silver hair running down to her back, and was so thin her pale, ghost-white skin seemed to cover nothing but bone. And her eyes were protruding, as if the skin was too tight and the eyes were forced to leave its sockets. Wait a minute…  
Find the eye.. the ghostly figure resumed…  
She struggled from its grasp but it was too strong. The grip was vise-like, and she couldn't break free. Kaiko was so frightened. The once-cloaked figure was staring at her with only one eye._

She opened her eyes. Another bad dream. She looked around, felt her surroundings, and was able to touch something warm and breathing. It was dark, aside from the faint glow coming fro this evening's full moon, but she knew. The one breathing was her Kakashi, sleeping so silently. She sat up, propped her other hand on the matress and watched his steady breathing, then she caught herself smiling. Maybe they're taking this romance thing is full throttle, not minding the brakes hidden somewhere, but she had no other choice. Five days. With or without the eye, she must leave. The bandits will find her, anyway, wherever she goes.  
Something twinkled, and it ripped her attention off her sleeping savior. In the pale moonlight, she saw a strange glittering object beneath the puddle of clothes next to the matress. _What was it?_ Something that reflects a yellowish gleam. Quite a generous twinkle considering the faintness of light in this dark room. Yellow. Its twinkling rivals that of the evening stars.  
_Yellow._  
Kaiko froze. Time stopped. _Something that rivals the stars..._ She could only name one object in the entire world that can be compared to the twinkling jewels of the evening sky. Who would've thought that the eye is just one person away from her?


	4. DAY FOUR

**DAY FOUR**

He took the Lazarus eye in his hand and observed how it twinkled in the pale evening light. _It's amazing how small, light things can become such heavy burdens._ Kakashi remembered the look on the old man's face when he handed him this precious gem wrapped thrice in cheesecloth. "We've been waiting for your arrival." he had said to him when he opened the door and immediately led him in. Two of his followers, and are actually the only followers left alive, were hiding inside the worn out chapel with the minister. They barely ate, Kakashi could see bony fingers and cheekbones that seem to protrude from their faces. Even the minister had such dry, scaly skin and dry, unkept hair. It was frightening for untrained eyes, but for Kakashi, it deserved respect.  
"I'm sorry I made you wait."  
"We really have nothing to give to you.." the minister said sadly. "As you can probably notice, we have nothing much to eat."  
"I understand. And I didn't come here to eat."  
The minister turned his back on him and was fumbling over the table for something. "We have prayed all these years for you. Now, take this. And promise me you'll take very good care of it. No one must have it. It is a gift from the gods."  
"I will make sure of that."  
The bone-thin minister grabbed him by the wrist, unbelievably grasping with such force despite the weakness of his features. "Promise me." he said, challenging Kakashi with a gaze.  
"I promise."  
"My task is done."  
Kakashi stared into the ceiling of his room and tried to shake the memory off his head. Midnight had passed about several hours ago and still, sleep wouldn't come. In desperation, he even tried to remember what he and this beautiful woman beside him had shared last night, but the more depressing picture kept squeezing itself. He knew, upon turning his back on the three monks that he had spoken to yesterday, that the conversation they had shared would be last. In order to protect the Lazarus eye, to effectively hide its location, no one else must know where it is.. and having three more people -- or even two more people -- would complicate matters. Kakashi knew, upon turning his back, that nothing but death awaits those three monks.. either they kill themselves, or somebody else will.  
The warm body beside him moved. He quickly hid the gem beneath his clothes and wrapped his arms around her. Kaiko was sound asleep, murmuring inaudible words which eventually drowned in her steady breathing. Maybe things really are happening so fast -- too fast -- between them. And maybe he's not really sure why and how, but whenever he looked at her he was damn certain of only one thing: he will take care of her. Even if she tells him not to.. even if she stops him from doing so. There is a grave need for people to take good care of what's theirs, not because they should, not because they must, but because they want to.  
Memorizing the innocent look on her pretty face, Kakashi's mind had finally decided to rest...

Sunrise. Kaiko have given up any attempts of sleeping, the swift activity in her head prevented her from getting more rest. Last night, when she was certain Kakashi had fallen into deep sleep, she quietly uncovered the gem from underneath their pile of clothes and became certain. Kakashi, of all people, is keeping the Lazarus eye. She was tempted to take it and run, but decided against it for lack of courage. After the evening they've shared, Kaiko wasn't sure she's ready to part with him just yet. _Tsk. Treacherous heart._ If she had not fallen for ol' sleepy-eye over here, things would've been a lot easier. But then again, life for her was never easy... And she knew she had to steal it, and they must part ways. It will happen, soon... but not now. Not yet.  
She sat up and watched him. Kakashi, she realized, has this scar over his other eye which to her seemed like a backstitch of thick, black yarn over an immaculate white cloth. She absently traced a finger over the scar, and was surprised to see him open his eyes beneath her light touch.  
"Good morning." she began.  
"Good morning." he said, holding her hand in his. "Did you sleep well?"  
She nodded. It was a lie, ofcourse. She had been awake almost the entire night because of that wretched Lazarus eye.  
"Are you hungry?"  
She shook her head.  
"Good. Because I still don't want to leave this room."  
"Me neither." she said, a hint of sadness in her voice.  
"And I don't want to go to work." he said. "And I don't want to get dressed. And I don't want to talk to anybody else. I just want to stay here and be here and do anything we want. Can I do that?"  
"No, I'm afraid."  
He shifted his gaze from her face to the ceiling. "I have to go back to my life, right."  
She exhaled. The topic is like a heavy stone burying itself in her heart, and she wanted to put an end to it. There is plenty of time to meditate and decide between mourning and being realistic after stealing the eye.  
"Have you ever wished for a different life... you know, something that's very different from the one you lead?"  
She nodded, and brushed imaginary wisps of hair off his forehead after pulling her hand away from his grasp.  
"I've seen too much, and I'd be lying if I tell you that it doesn't really get to me. We're lucky to be here in Konoha, you know, but I've always wished for something else.. someone I can go home to, you know..."  
"What are you... trying to say?' she asked, her mouth parted in shock.  
"No. I'm not talking about marriage, Kaiko." he sat up. "It's too early for that, I know. It's just that, its nice to have you here after my mission. I was.. like.. relieved to see you in my room. And actually, I was looking forward to seeing you again. And you know, that felt good. Looking forward to something that will always be there."  
_Something that will always be there.._ It sounded so good. Kaiko wished with all her heart it were true.  
"Why are you telling me this?" she started avoiding his gaze.  
"I was thinking maybe you could stay here. With me. I won't restrict you from doing anything, you'll be free to do everything you wish. I just want you here.. so that I can always come back home to you."  
Tears are welling up in her eyes, but she acted as if they were inexistent. "Are you sure?"  
He nodded. "Damn sure."  
She looked away. Crying. "Don't you think this is too fast. We're too fast. Everything is so frighteningly quick."  
"It frightens me too, but I've thought about it, Kaiko. I've given it much thought while I was away." his eyes drifted into space, like a psychic having visions, "I was practically running my way back here..like some insane little kid.."  
Silence. "Kaiko," "You've made up your mind?" she finally said, cutting him short.  
He nodded.  
Kaiko pressed her eyes shut. _This isn't happening_. He did not just ask her to stay. She is not crying.  
Kakashi watched her, thousand questions flowing in his mind. It was his first time to say something like that, and judging by the looks of it, she did not like his well-prepared speech. "I.. um.. you could use sometime to think it over.. if... you want to.." his words trailed off.  
"It's not that I don't want that..." she suddenly said, but it was meant to be a thought. She wasn't supposed to say it but it slipped from her tongue, like a strong urge one was not able to control. Realizing her carelessness, she bit her lower lip and hoped he was dumb enough to let it slip. But no, they wouldn't call him Genius Kakashi for nothing. "Go on..."  
She exhaled. "Well, what you said was really nice... it was really nice of you." she looked into his eyes and smiled.  
"But..?"  
She simply shook her head. No buts. That doesn't clarify anything at all. He tried to look for answers in her eyes, but found tears instead. With an exhale, he grabbed his clothes and headed toward the other end of the room to dress-up. The Lazarus eye, Kaiko noted, was left on the floor next to her puddle of clothing. She was tempted to take it, but thought better of it and remained on the mattress. She could easily hide it under her pile of garments, hope that Kakashi would not notice, and then flee the very minute he turns his back.. but she couldn't. Not now. Not after what had happened between them last night.  
"Umm..."  
He turned around, fully clothed. "Hmm...?"  
"I-- uh, last night..."  
He walked toward her and sat on the floor, meeting her steady gaze. "Are you worried about that?"  
She looked down to her hands which are neatly settled across her lap. "Well, I really don't know what.. or how.. to think about... of... last night."  
"I really want you to stay."  
"Really?"  
"I'm so desperate, you know," It seemed as if putting his thoughts into words was the hardest mission Hatake Kakashi had ever faced. "I want you to stay."  
There it is again. The uncomfortable twisting at the pit of her stomach. She wanted to throw up, but that would be an absurd thing to do... throwing up in front of the genius Kakashi of Konoha.  
"Are you scared?"  
She looked into his eyes. "No. I'm... It's just..."  
"What is it?"  
_How long does it take to use up this man's patience?_ Kaiko exhaled. Part of her longed for Kakashi to give up, assume that she's not really interested in him, call it a day and go back to his usual secret affairs... but another part also wanted to tell him everything: the eye, the bandits, the accident. And after begging for his forgiveness, she would ask for his help, and confess her love, and tell him that she wanted to stay here.. with him.. like this.. forever. _Should I tell him... should I tell him..?_ She looked at him, looked into his eyes. Worried eyes. Loving eyes. If she decides to steal the eye and leave, these eyes would no longer look at her in such manner. These eyes would stare at her with hate, with coldness, with disdain...  
Tears began to fall. It was as if this situation wills her to split into two, and she couldn't take it anymore...  
Kakashi took her in his arms. "It's okay if you're not ready.." he began stroking her hair. "it's okay.. don't cry anymore."  
_I want to stay here too.._  
She cried harder.. "I want to stay here, too."

The sun was intent on toasting her already drying locks, and Rin was about to hide indoors when she noticed someone from afar. Someone very familiar.  
"Hey, Kakashi.."  
He slowly turned his head toward her direction. "Rin."  
She smiled, and dropped her glance toward another familiar memory. "Obito.." she murmured beneath her breath as she found herself looking onto the monument with names of martyrs and heroes who had given their lives for this village. "Its seems like decades since the three of us got reunited like this.."  
Kakashi nodded. "I know."  
"You visit here often?"  
He looked at the stone memorial and was reminded of a dear friend. "Only when I have the chance."  
Rin nodded in understanding. Time is always a luxury for people like them.  
A period of silence passed as past comrades looked upon the tombstone on which another comrade's name was engraved. Uchiha Obito. Years have passed since the incident that marked their fateful separation. Rin knew how much Obito had changed their lives, especially Kakashi's.  
"I miss him." she whispered.  
"Me too..."  
Another period of silence, until Kakashi finally exhaled. "Rin, do you have a minute..."  
She was hearly surprised by his sudden mention of her name. "A what?"  
"I think I need to ask you something..."  
She shrugged, although was quite unsure she had any answer to give. "Sure. Go on."  
"I was really hoping I could ask Obito the same question, but he's never been around in the past years and..."  
"Kakashi, you're stalling."  
"You're right." He lifted his right hand and scratched the back of his head.  
"And your question is...?"  
"I.. um, I'm sort of seeing someone.." he began, and after seeing the startled look on Rin's face, decided to rephrase his words. "No, not really seeing someone.. we're kind'a just... well.. going out... but not exactly going out.."  
"You're with someone."  
Kakashi nodded. "Yes."  
Rin enjoyed this, finally playing the upper hand against the famed copy ninja. "And you're obviously not sure about the status of your, relationship, quote-unquote."  
He nodded.  
"So maybe you're dilemma has something to do about clarifying the entire relationship thing."  
He shook his head. "Not really. I know for sure that she's not really sure about us."  
"Sure that she's not sure..?" As always, Rin wasn't so certain she was able to follow his line of thinking. She's never really used to an honest Kakashi. Back then, he used to keep things to himself most of the time. "I don't think I follow..."  
He started to crouch, and then finally cossed his legs and sat on the grass. "I'm so sorry Rin, I guess I just don't understand everything..."  
Rin took the empty space beside him and sat down, cross-legged. "You know, I'm also thinking about dating someone.. so I guess I can relate to what you're trying to say."  
"You are?" his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Do I know him?"  
She shrugged and giggled. It felt like they were young trainees once again. "Maybe. Even if you do, there's no chance in me telling you."  
"Well, how does it feel?"  
Rin stopped to think about his weird question. "How does it feel... hmm..." She looked up, squinted in the blinding sunlight and came with an answer. "There's a fleeting feeling, enlightening but hard to comprehend.. yep." she nodded, as if something she had said pleased her. "That's how if felt." After pausing to contemplate the accuracy of description, Rin lifted her gaze to Kakashi, who was frowning and in deep thought.  
"That didn't help you much, huh?"  
He shrugged. "Nope, I think."  
She exhaled. "This is tougher than I thought. Hmm... well, maybe it would be best if you just leave your thoughts exactly the way they are."  
"Meaning...?"  
"If you're puzzled, then leave it as it is.."  
"What are you saying..."  
"Don't think!" she gave a friendly pat on his left shoulder. "You always try to assess things, Kakashi. You want a logical explanation for everything. I guess it's about time you realize that some things in life can never be logical."  
He shook his head. "Are you telling me to stop using my head."  
She nodded. "Yeah. I guess that's what you should do."  
"Why?"  
"Love is never logical. It just... sort of... happens. Spontaneously. Once you start taking it logically, I swear, you'll go crazy."  
He paused to let her words sink in. "Spontaneous, you say.."  
"Mmm-hmm." She glanced at him and beamed, like a proud big sister. "I never thought I'd see the day of Copy Ninja Kakashi's defeat."  
He frowned at Rin's remark. "Defeat?"  
"Yeah. You're lost, my dear friend.. this is the first time I've seen you admit your lack of knowledge."  
"Oh well..." he began scratching the back of his head. "There's always room for firsts."

The sun was up but the air remained cool and stale, taking him back to a time when he descended a crystal cave once in his distinguished career of thievery. That first robbery and his current state possessed one similarity, they both ignited a flame of excitement in his heart.  
"Any news?" the leader of their group said, watching him walk toward the well with cold eyes. He first took a drink, then used the rest of the water in the bucket to wash his hands and feet.  
"You were right. It was the Copy Ninja who was sent to retrieve the eye."  
Chief nodded. "They didn't underestimate us." He seemed quite pleased with what his henchman had told him. "Good. That's good."  
"But don't you think it will give us a hard time..."  
"What about the girl?" he began, wasting no attention to his cowardly question.  
"She proved to be a very good distraction..."  
"But sir, it is the fourth day and it doesn't seem like she intends to return."  
The head of the secluded thieves stared into empty space, drifting his thoughts back to a time ten or maybe about twenty years ago. The same cool air. The familiar spitting of fire. A humpbacked gypsy hunched over a handful of sand and pebbles, and a wide-eyed innocent five-year old attentively watching the spectacle with fascination. _Find the eye that never weeps_, the hag had told the attentive little girl, _and you will find your place_.  
"I suggest we move in and take them by surprise, sir," the henchman suddenly said, breaking his serious reflection of the past, "before the Lazarus eye changes hands."  
He regarded his subordinate with eyes that narrowed into slits, as if to say: "no more objections from you, my cowardly apprentice". This man before him, whom he personally assigned to watch over Kaiko and the precious eye, had remarkable skills as far as spying is concerned. However, he had a problem with keeping his mouth shut in certain situations. He complains too much, explains too much.  
"We will move out when the time is right... but I can only count five days." he turned his back on the opinionated subordinate and proceeded indoors, leaving the spy who, in turn, recognized the gesture as an unspoken order to return to his post.

Kaiko, after Kakashi had left for another day of work, reminisced about the swift changing of events the day before, lingering mostly on the feel of his lips everytime they kissed. "I want to stay here, too." she murmured under her breath, suddenly realizing the weight of that statement. Konoha is the home she had pictured in her dreams. And he, he will definitely turn this place into a more comfortable home. A more secure home. He will definitely make her life better, beyond that of what she had once dreamed about.  
After the past few days of wondering, Kaiko had finally made up her mind. She will not steal the Lazarus eye. She will not return to the bandits (even if it meant hiding from them forever). She will stay here and make sure Hatake Kakashi had a home to go back to.


	5. DAY FOUR II

He couldn't see the wisdom behind his master's decision. No matter how he tried, there seemed to be no logical explanation that would come from it. _Wait for Kaiko?_ The order sounded so dumb to him, it was as good as saying "we'll just be like sitting ducks for the meantime".  
He leered at the bathing figure and thought that his brother was lucky to have tasted a piece of this bitch. Well, he did die… but at least he was a satisfied man. With the strong urgency tightening a certain part of himself, he wrestled against the idea of satiating such desires. _Or I'll end up dead_, he thought, remembering how that one-eyed asshole killed his brother along with two of his comrades. He, in comparison to those three – his brother included – was wise enough to know when to let emotions get the better of him. And he's still alive, isn't he?  
Something about the late afternoon brought chills to her spine. At first Kaiko shove it off as a senseless paranoia, but later on, while brushing her damp hair in front of a looking glass, a familiar image appeared from who-knows-where. She was about to scream for help but any attempts were immediately prevented by a large, calloused hand over her mouth.  
"Well, well, well…" he whsipered, his mouth pressed so close to her ear, "what do we have here?"  
A muffled reply came from beneath his hand.  
"I wonder what day it is… or have you forgotten because of that silly ol' boyfriend of yours."  
She tried to squeal, struggle.. anything just to break free from him but it was worthless. He was too strong. "I hope you do remember.. chief gave you five days. JUST five days."  
She nodded.  
"Good. And the eye?"  
She just stared back at him with eyes huge as saucers.  
"Oh, so you're too busy fondling with your boyfriend, huh?" the words rolled from his mouth like threats. "Let's see what happens when he finds out."  
_He?_ Kaiko swallowed hard.  
"Steal it." He said curtly, hurling her onto the floor like a piece of trash.  
Kaiko watched him jump through the window and vanish.. like a nightmare. But she knew it wasn't just some premonition. He's real. And Kaiko predicted that he knew about the Lazarus eye. He knew everything. And he had been watching her. Closely.

Kakashi felt uneasy.. what with all these women fussing over the pieces of silk garment on display. He never really went out to buy women's clothes. For one, he never really had a reason to. But now, well, he realized that Kaiko barely had any choice of clothes so he decided to buy her some spare. One or two, maybe three. And he couldn't guess her size so the kind women in the shop helped him figure that out. Three women of three different body sizes, standing before him clad in similar garments (but different sizes). He didn't know buying women's clothes could be so bothersome.  
"Now sir, with whose body size was she close to?"  
He looked at the three giggling ladies. If he didn't knew better, he would assume the three ladies were immensely enjoying this awkward situation. Again, he looked from one, to the next, and to the last one. _Which body size?_ It was impossible for him to imagine Kaiko in any of those three laughing ladies. To him, her body size was, well, her own.  
"It's hard to tell.." he muttered out.  
"But surely, you can find one that matches..?"  
"Yeah.. matches her size.." he stepped forward and took a closer look. It made him feel like a vulture.. an awkward vulture.  
"Well," the shop keeper asked. If she was getting impatient, it obviously didn't show in her voice.  
"I think it's the first one.." he pointed at the woman before her and looked at the shop keeper. "I'd also like one of this," he moved toward the shelves and pointed at a cream silk dress. "in that size."  
"Anything else?"  
He looked around. Well, he had to admit that he didn't know a thing about women's clothing. They just, well, seem to fit in most people. So all he had to was scout for the prettiest color he could find. And pseaking of prettiest color, he spotted another one, in light green. "And that one."  
The shop keeper nodded. "Now, give those clothes back." She barked at the three ladies. "Gently, please…"  
Kakashi sighed. _Now, that wasn't so hard_.. Next time though, he made a mental note to take Kaiko with him so he whouldn't go through such troubles ever again.

The tatami mats seemed to have become warmer with the shuffling of her feet as she paced back and forth, it'll probably burst in flames if she doesn't stop. And she couldn't stop. Her entire dream have crumbled before her very eyes. She should've known, the chief will not just bid her goodbye and trust that she comes back home in time. This is all a big mistake. She's supposed to steal the eye, not fall in love with the very man safegurading it! Tsk. This is a disaster! The fifth day! _Tomorrow is the fifth day?_ She wasn't sure anymore. Days have passed and frankly, with Kakashi sprouting out of nowhere, it seemed as if an entire lifetime have already been wasted. Wasted. Damn.  
_Now, where could that damned Lazarus eye be?_  
She stopped her pacing and decided to look around. Well, if Kakashi suddenly appears all of a sudden, she could just tell him that she lost something. _Yeah, that would work. Just bat an eyelash and it'll be fine._ She started to look in the nearest drawr, then the cabinets, then the boxes.. anywhere. Whenever an assault turns out useless, she scans the immediate surrounding for any possible hiding place and proceeds with her digging. Her hands were shaking, beads of cold sweat trickled down the sides of her face, but it'll be fine. Maybe he had hidden it somewhere. Someplace. Just think one at a time. It could be…  
Her fingers scraped against something smooth but hard, and pointed at some angles. She struggled to reach the bottom of the deep box and found it. _He had hidden it in here?_ Maybe he wasn't as bright as they say he is.  
Kaiko frowned and inspected the circular piece of twinkling gem in her hands. This is the Lazarus eye, right? Not some fake replica of some sort? Her frown deepened. Then she looked at the box to make sure.  
He had hidden the Lazarus eye with her belongings.  
Oh great. Here comes the guilt.

He couldn't think of anything else to buy for her. Earlier this day, just as he had arrived from home, he managed to steal Rin from the hustles and bustles of work and inquired about a few things about what a woman would want.  
"Hmm.." Rin had said, her brows dancing in thought. "It really depends on the woman. You should get her something reeeeaaaallllllyyyyyy romantic."  
And that was the only answer he was able to get. Romantic. Now what does that word mean? Well, his learned definiton of it would involve something hot, steamy and stimulating, and it obviously doesn't apply to Kaiko. Yeah, they've done it but well, Rin wasn't referring to that definition of romantic.. or maybe not?  
He immediately vanished the thought from his head. _She wasn't referring to that, you little twerp._ So, he was back to the preliminary matter at hand. _What's romantic?_  
Well, he tried to talk to Gai, and again, managed to steal him from the hustles and bustles of work.  
"Romantic, you say…" he looked up to think. "Romantic…"  
And that was all he was able to get. Obviously, the highly spirited one was never acquainted with the term.  
So again, the problem.  
He thought about registering more help, since a lot of people in Konoha would be more than willing to help him. But.. BUT! Doing that would give them a hint about his personal life. _Oh great_, the entire village would find out that he's talking about romance. And even worse, someone else might find out. He wouldn't rule out the possiblity of Kaiko getting into more troubles because of him insert exaggerated worries here as well as visions blown in greater proportions and his reputation. And there's no way in hell he'd allow that to happen.  
So again, the problem.  
He clearly had no other choice but to solve this on his own. And that's why he bought her clothes. Women love clothes, or so he believed so. He passed by that garment shop and, remembering that Kaiko didn't really have clothes of her own, thought it was a bright idea.  
Well, at least until he had already paid for the clothes and started wondering, _is this romantic?_  
The answer he got was obvious..  
And so he thought he should buy something else to give her… along with the clothes, of course.

_This is the final step._ Kaiko told herself as she looked into the crowd of trees ahead of her. Once she goes into that forest, her feet will definitely lead her back to the bandits. And it'll be her home once again. Her greatest fears will happen. Everything about Konoha village will be a dream. A twinge of sorrow gripped at her heart. _Konoha village will be a dream._ It was her habit to repeat things to herself, as if that would force some sense into her stupid little brain. And it usually doesn't. Usually.. but not now. The more she told herself, the more it made sense. She was never meant to be in this village. Her destiny was to be dictated by the Lazarus eye. Yes. That is what the old hag from her childhood had meant to tell her. _I will find my place. And my place isn't here._  
She wanted to take one step, but her foot refused to obey. _Trecherous foot._  
Kakashi is just a dream. He will not understand her anyway. True love, as far as she knew, involved lots of understanding.. and he didn't have that. He wouldn't have that. They are star-crossed lovers, and stories like that only find a dead end. This is the dead end.  
She lifted her right foot and began to run before she could change her mind.  
_Goodbye Kakashi_.

He was beaming like a brilliant madman the minute he saw the apartment. Going through a flight of stairs, he silently congratulated himself for coming up with a very good idea. No, actually he stole it from one of those naughty books with anonymous writers. His idea of romantic was, after all, derived from those steamy novels. The idea was simple, all he had to do was pamper her. She was a bruised, and he figured she's still terribly scarred, like that heroine from that erotic novel he once read, so all he had to do was make her feel good. Maybe he's patterned this after the novel, but Kaiko wouldn't know (unless she had read that erotic novel too, which, was impossible). Besides, whatever he's going to do, it comes entirely from the heart. He just didn't have any ideas so he borrowed from that dirty book. And he's not planning to entirely copy everything, because in the novel the hero jumped the heroine afterwards. No, no, he's not thinking about anything hot and steamy right now.  
_Oh, wait.._  
What did the hero do?  
_He cooked._  
Kakashi looked at his grocery. He paid a visit to the market and requested for all ingredients of his favorite ramen.. however.. he forgot one very important detail:  
He didn't know a single thing about cooking. Especially ramen.  
"Damn!"  
He thought of any person in this whole wide world who could teach him the basics of ramen cuisine, and thankfully, one from outside his workplace sprouted from his mind. Hugging the bag of clothes in one arm and the bag of grocery in the other, he swiftly retraced his steps and dashed toward his favorite ramen house.  
Thankfully, he had sharingan to back him up. He was able to memorize the thing in no time..  
_Thank you, Obito, for the nth time._ Elated, and extremely proud of himself, he gently knocked against wood. Once. Twice. No answer? Maybe she's asleep. He opened the door, it was his house, after all.  
The sight of his place in total disarray halted his thoughts.  
_Kaiko…_ He looked around.. there was no sign of her… And then it hit him.  
The Lazarus Eye.  
Before he could take another step, he spotted the box where he had hidden the Lazarus Eye. And it took no further thinking to figure out that the eye was no longer in its hiding place.


	6. DAY FIVE

**DAY FIVE**

At first he was deeply worried about Kaiko, but as he continued searching for hints and stuff, the image became clear.  
Either Kaiko was killed, or she was the one who stole the Lazarus Eye.  
The hoped it wasn't the latter. But it made more sense.  
She could be after the Lazarus Eye in the first place.  
She tricked him.  
No.  
He allowed himself to be tricked.  
Kakashi looked at the dry leaves beneath his feet and was reminded of the time he caught her wandering within the Hokage's territory. Then a long thread of curses escaped his lips.  
He definitely fell for a trap.

_Scheming bastard._  
Kaiko glared at her captive's back, finally coming up with another set of names to call him. "Jackass!"  
"Moron."  
"Asshole."  
"Bastard."  
He turned around and crouched so that their gazes will meet. "How sweet.." he twisted his expression into something similar to a giggling teenager.  
"You'll pay for this. I swear."  
"Indeed." He mocked.  
"I'll send you to hell! You scheming little…"  
A swift backhanded slap landed on her left cheek. "Before you continue your weightless tirade, let me remind you something," he grasped the lower half of her face, cupping her chin in a clamp-like grip and forcing her to meet his hard gaze. "we, my dear, are cut from the same cloth. Your brainless boyfriend will definitely agree with that." Kaiko winced at the mention of Kakashi. " So don't make accusations when you're just as guilty of the crime as I am."  
He released his grip and stood up, towering her. "Now, now, now… don't look so sad… we'll just play a little game of mine.." Malice lined his last words.  
Kaiko struggled to free her bound hands, wincing as the rope grazed against her wrists. It was impossible to rip it off, and just as impossible to loosen it and let it slip off her hands. She looked around. The sun is gone. Soon enough, the entire place would be pitch dark. God knows what this perverted creature of hell would do to her.  
He kept looking at her, obviously taking interest in her unclothed figure. _Bastard_. If she could just break free from this wretched rope around her wrists.. and this wretched rope around her ankles.. and this wretched tree behind her.. and this wretched imbecile from the deepest pit of hell leering at her. _Bastard_.  
"Dear brother, what an idiot you are.." He said out loud. "No wonder..." Kaiko growled, her mind thinking of other ways to get out of this situation.

The darkness was his enemy and his friend. Kakashi knew he could easily travel in the dark, however, looking for clues is a different matter. Tonight would be a half moon, he reminded himself. He could make use of little light, but it would definitely make his searching more difficult.  
He knew this place just like the back of his hand. In his earlier years, he had trained in mother nature's embrace. Getting lost was impossible.. even in absolute darkness. Why, he could go through this place blindfolded. Kaiko wouldn't be as good as he in scavenging though this light-deprived piece of mother nature.. but he's not lowering his gauge. Tha wily vixen was able to outsmart him. Who knows how many tricks she had hidden under her sleeve.  
_Fucking bitch._  
He remembered the dress he bought. And the ramen. And his house. And that particular evening. To think he even asked him to stay. The _bitch_ would've laughed at his stupidity. And she would've been very proud of herself. She should be. She was able to decieve the genius Copy Ninja of Konoha.

She had given up fighting. It was useless anyway, the bastard would definitely have it his way. Kaiko decided to conserve her strength and use it when the time is right. And no, she's not going to waste it in beggiing and pleading for help. Not anymore. "Once I'm free", she said beneath her breath, "you will pay for this."  
The perverted bastard stopped from what he was doing, and lifted his head to look at her. "Really?" he mocked, that stupid grin spread across his ugly face. He resumed his task, his thrusts becoming more fierce and swift. But she's not going to give in. No way. She'd rather kill herself than beg for mercy. _Just wait_, she promised herself. Nothing can be more gratifying than a well-plotted revenge.  
Something hard kept scraping the skin of her back, and with the pain growing more intense, she could tell that the wounds are getting deeper by the minute. But then, she didn't really care. She couldn't even hear her assailant crusing her, her one-eyed "boyfriend", then her again. The only problem at hand is how to release herself from the tight ropes that held her in place.  
But then she couldn't stop thinking: if only Kakashi was here, there wouldn't be much of a problem.

Kakashi frowned at the familiar sound. Some people can be really obscene, practicing private matters in a very public place. He found himself shaking his head. Maybe people are entitled to a degree of carnality every once in a while, but doing it in the middle of the forest?! Last time he checked, only animals copulate on the grass.  
He refused to look at the tryst-in-progress, but something at the back of his mind urged him to take the briefest glance. The itch obviously wasn't about sexual gratification or anything naughty. Part of him wished it was about that, but it wasn't. It's a strange feeling, as if you're walking on a plank, blindfolded, waiting for that sudden push that will send you to your doom.  
It might seem somewhat superstitious to most, but Kakashi had always followed gut feelings like this. And it never failed to save his life.

He had shifted to another position for the third time, and Kaiko wondered how long this is going to take. Every fiber of her ached, obviously wanting to rest.. to give up. But no, she's not going to let this bastard win…. She'll get even, although, she really didn't know how.  
The bastard -– his name was Jinchi – let out a sound. More like a moan. _Jackass_. He seemed to be enjoying this, immensely, while Kaiko, on the other hand, felt helpless. She kept tricking herself by saying that she will retrieve her precious eye from this bastard, knowing fully that such would require a miracle. He's no amateur, he had obviously planned this. He followed her around, keeping close watch over the Lazarus Eye as he waited for an opportunity to persuade her into stealing it. Not only did he plan it carefully, its execution was just as superb. He was able to snoop around in Konoha Village without being noticed! In Konoha!  
She felt warm tears building up at the corner of her eyes. How is she going to run away from this? Come to think of it, she had never even killed anyone in her entire, pathetic life.

Kakashi nearly vomitted with revulsion. So this was her plan all along… making him dance in her dainty little fingers. It's simple… just like the story of the Trojan Horse. Simple, but effective. And he fell for it. That is the most painful part. He happily danced with her music.  
Quietly hiding behind the huge tree, he turned away from the disgusting scene and looked town at the two kunais in his right hand. He could easily kill them, the same way he had exterminated those three men from way back when. That would be easy… too easy…  
And after what she had done to him, he never really thought about making death quite easy for her.

The vigorous movement stopped. Had he fallen asleep? Was he finished? What is he planning to do next? Kaiko couldn't tell, she was on her stomach, her face pressed against the damp leaves. But then, she couldn't detect any movement either. Is this her chance? She tried to wiggle her body. Nothing. She tried to move her legs. Nothing. His grip on her losened. This is her chance! Lucky for her he had unbound the rope around her ankles the minute he decided to shift to this position.  
Although her legs and knees were wobbly, adrenaline allowed her to push his body off her and free herself. It took much effort, but she was too ecstatic to complain. She was wearing nothing, and her wrists were still bound behind her back, but such problems are too minimal to matter at the moment. Regaining the strength of her legs, she was about to run into the evening when she remembered the Lazarus Eye. _How silly of me_, she thought, slowly turning to look at her unfortunate captive. When she turned around, however, she found a familiar pair of shoe stepping on the bastard's stabbed back. And the weapon. All too familiar.  
Her heart raced as she slowly looked at the owner of the foot.  
She gaSped.  
It was Hatake Kakashi, his fair hair shining in the little light offered by the moon, the look in his eye sharper than the kunai that killed the poor, perverted bastard.

Normally, a bare-naked woman bound at the wrists and walking brazenly across the street in the middle of the night would excite any warm blooded male's senses. But as Kakashi dragged the naked woman by the wrists, there was nothinh steamy, naughty or stimulating about the entire picture. His lips were tightly pressed together, attempting to surpress all the colorful curses he wanted to throw. Hell, he's angry. And he could kill her right now. However, doing that would be a waste of time, strength and effort.  
Kaiko tried to explain everything the very minute she lifted her gaze from his foot and met his eyes. She wanted to confess, apologize, cry and be comforted by him. Gawd, she even thought about kissing him. But his eyes showed no emotion. Cold. Colder than the evening breeze that marked this particular time of the year. If she had seen this side of him, she would've feared him more than she feared the chief bandit. Gawd, he was more terrifying that death! That soft, lazy side of him had been supressing this beast all along… it was impossible for Kaiko to believe that she had adoreded, loved (and even slept with ) this fearsome man.  
Kakashi tugged at her wrists. _Faster_, the gesture told her. But she was cold after travelling all the way to Konoha wearing nothing but the rope around her wrists; tired after the long walk and the vigorous physical activity before that; and scared after seeing that sharp, unforgiving look in his eye. She couldn't fight him in this state, but then, she couldn't obey his wish as well.  
Another tug, although it was harder compared to the first one.  
"I can't walk any faster." She said, almost whispering.  
He gritted his teeth to prevent himself from lashing out at her and strangling her to death. Patience was his virtue, by the way, so he rationality over rage and kept his mouth sealed shut. He began to walk faster, though.  
Kaiko quickened her pace to keep up with his, even if her legs were wobbly and her steps were unstable. She didn't want an argument, his eerie silence served as a firm warning. _Follow me_. When her thoughts slighly shifted toward the environment around her, Kaiko noticed that thay had long arrived in Konoha and is currently treading a part of the village she had'nt seen before. Even in the faint light, she knew this place was new to her.  
A door opened. Kaiko jumped.  
"Prisoner." Kakashi said to a man in a short jacket, long-sleeves, pants and boots. Where he came from, Kaiko couldn't tell. She also couldn't recognize his face nor the color of his clothes because of a growing headache and the lack of light.  
Shuffling of keys. A door opened.  
"Get in." Kakashi said, dragging her into the dark hallway. They marched, and she found herself wondering how her new captor could see in such bleak darkness.  
Another door opened. He hruled her onto the floor and banged the door close.  
It was dark. And quiet. She extended her arms before her and felt her way around. The floor was concrete. The walls were, maybe made of wood, and she was able to tough something smooth and folded. Clothes? Blanket? She didn't care. All she wanted was to warm her freezing body so she snatched it and wrapped it around herself.

"Give her something to wear." Kakashi said to the gatekeeper without giving a glance. Then he marhced to Sarutobi's quarters, hoping the hokage is still awake to receive his report.

and fW says: _I want to write a lemon fic. I want to write a lemon fic. I want to write a lemon fic. And I tried, gawd how I tried. But .. I can't! I don't know how to describe it properly.. I'm an absolute failure! sob sob sob On well.. anyway. I'd like to thank you for reading this fic. And uh, as far as dieclaimer goes.. I did not create Naruto and have no right to claim any of the characters as mine, blah blah blah.._


	7. DAY SIX

**DAY SIX**

Anko had been looking for Kaiko (and Kakashi, but then she didn't seriously looked around for him since he was impossible to find most of the time) since yesterday but it seems the couple – Kaiko and Kakashi -- had been too hard to locate. Nobody in the village have seen them, and the search is already getting on her nerves. Well, she had been quite busy herself, but now that she had all the time in the world, she wanted to spend it with her new, but currently missing friend.  
She had been to Kakashi's place, and man, it was a total mess! He never really struck her as that kind of guy – disorganized, carefree, although he seems a little bit lazy – but then people are people and there can never be enough surprises as far as they're concerned.  
Something drawed her attention while she was passing by the teahouse and Anko was almost sure it was Kakashi. She followed, stealthily, and with all the speed she could produce, tried to catch up with the suspicious being.  
"Kakashi?"  
It was him, his back towards her,his feet planted firmly to the ground.  
"I knew it was you! I've been looking for you since…"  
He turned around and shot her a look.  
"Is there something wrong?"  
That look again. _He's angry_, she thought. "Ok. I'll just talk with you later."  
She turned her back and left him with those trees, plants and that stone monument Konoha had built in memory of all the deceased ninjas worth remembering.  
But then, something kept nagging at the back of her mind. _What the hell happened?_

Her body felt as if an entire cavalry have trampled over it, and any normal human being would require a long, fulfilling rest to restore strength. But then, after the swift change of activities in her life, her wellbeing is the least of the problems she should worry about.  
Her brows snapped together as the pain emanating from every nook and cranny of her body intensified. Struggling to sit up, it felt as if her body weighed more than a crate of rock. She wanted to sleep but the pain prevented her from doing so.  
A shuffling of keys alerted her senses. She looked up.  
It was the man from last night, the one with whom Kakashi had spoken a word or two. He does seem like a kind man, with kind eyes, and probably just about her age. But then, she remembered… Kakashi had kind eyes, too.  
"Breakfast." He settled a bowl of something on the floor and then handed a folded garment to her.  
"Thank you."  
The man acted as if he didn't hear her expression of gratitude and slammed the door close. Kaiko unfolded the soft garment and realized that she was given a decent set of clothes. She hurriedly dressed up and glanced at the contents of the bowl. Grains of rice swam in a creamy fluid… doesn't look so appetizing to her but she had to eat. This is better than nothing.  
Kaiko was halfway through her tasteless meal when another shuffling of keys came from the other side of the wooden door. A click and the door opened, giving way to a familiar face… although this time, the usually happy face was sobered into a straight, emotionless mask. The half-finished bowl of food fell to the floor in a loud clatter.  
"Anko." Her first impulse was to hug her, but she eyed her immediately. _Don't._  
"Anko, I'm so…"  
"Who are you working for?" her words were clipped.  
She just stared at her, wide-eyed. She had never seen her this… this frightening. It seemed as if one wrong move would secure her a sure ticket to the grave.  
"Answer my question!"  
"I… uh…"  
Anko took one step closer. "Who are you working for? I'm not asking again."  
Kaiko bent her head and stared at her lap, her eyes beginning to water. "I'm so sorry… I was from the forest far from here and… they sent me to investigate about the…" the water filling her eyes was beyond control so she allowed them to fall, soaking the garment covering her lap, "the Lazarus Eye. We – they – thought it was in Konoha."  
"They?"  
She wiped her tears with her hands. Better spill her guts out. She's not coming back anyway. She's going to be locked here for the rest of her miserable life. "The Shinrin Bandits."  
"And where are these Shinrin Bandits?"  
She shook her head.  
"Where?!" something in her voice spelled danger in bold letters.  
"I don't know!" she finally looked at her interrogator with teary eyes, "they took me here.. I thought that was their only purpose but then they started to do nasty things to me and I started screaming…"  
Kaiko's control finally collapsed. She sobbed in front of Anko, and that kind-eyed person guarding the door. "I'm so, so, sorry… it's not like I want this to happen." She hid her eyes with her hands and sobbed some more. "I wanted to stay, but then he forced me to take it… he scared the hell out of me… he…"  
The door closed. Anko had left her.

It was hard. The minute she agreed with Kakashi's bargain, a weird feeling resumed at the pit of her stomach. He was his cold, ruthless, calculated self, and Anko have learned long ago not to mess with that side of the copy ninja. But she had to know the truth, weaving reasonable lies just to satisfy her curiosity was never going to work with her, anyway. So, after weighing the pros and cons of it, she decided to turn around and pound the man with questions. He was unrelenting at first, but after a minute of silence, he served her a suspicious bargain.  
"I will tell you," Kakashi had said, "but you have to do something for me."  
"What thing?" She had asked, eyes narrowed with suspicion.  
"Just say yes, damnit!"  
"Okay. Okay. Now where is Kaiko?"  
He answered her without hesitation. "She's locked in. I took her there."  
"Locked?!"  
"She stole the Lazarus Eye. Lucky for me I was able to find her… and her accomplice."  
She quietly digested the details like a student in a lecture room.  
"I killed his accomplice, and dragged her to prison, then headed straight to the hokage for a report."  
A period of silence. Anko realized he was done with the talking. It was her turn.  
"And what is my end of the bargain?"  
"You will do the questioning."  
And so, here she is, Mitarashi Anko with a cold and wretched heart, walking the streets of Konoha Village and waiting for the one-eyed ninja to come around. It was hard, seeing her cry like that. Part of her wanted to reach out to the person… she is a woman, too! And she understands the manner of men that could scare any female out of her wits. She knew her plight was true. She knew Kaiko was in pain. Maybe she did lie, but lies are nothing but individual words pieced together! Her eyes and her sorrow, those are two things which cannot form words to express themselves. She is a woman, and a woman feels the emotion of another. What she had felt in Kaiko can never lie.  
"Where?"  
She nearly jumped in surprise. It was Kakashi, again appearing from nowhere, who spoke and popped her bubble of thoughts. "What?"  
"Where is it?"  
"The forest."  
"Where exactly?!"  
Anko shook her head. "She couldn't tell. It appears some men took her to Konoha."  
Kakashi cursed before making a turn at the corner of the road. He anticipated this, although he preferred her to just spill her damned guts.  
Anko knew what he was planning to do, and she didn't like it. Typically, Kakashi was the type of ninja with sure, calculated actions.. but with the current situation, Anko feared that his actions would be too calculated for his own good. Grabbing him by the wrist, she used all the strength the academy had taught her to restrain him from taking another step. "Kakashi," she began, "you're being too personal on this. It's not right."  
He didn't answer. She wasn't finished.  
"I will ask the hokage to transfer this mission to me."  
He snatched his hand back and left without a word or a glance back.  
_Dear Kaiko_, Anko thought as she watched the infuriated ninja disappear into the crowd, _what have you gotten yourself into..._

Another sound from the other end of the door, but this time, the door was quick to open and the visitor was already several inches away from her when she rose.  
"Tell me where your damned camp is!" he said sharply.  
"I don't know.." she answered in a small voice.  
"I have ways of making you talk, Kaiko, I swear, you wouldn't wish for me to use it."  
"I said I don't know!" she screamed. "Is that so hard to understand?"  
"Kaiko…"  
"What's wrong with you people?! Don't you even understand plain language? I--DON'T--KNOW!!!" She was hurting, inside and out. It was the first time for him to call her by name since last night, but it was also the first time he raised his voice like that. And it scared and angered her at the same time. Maybe she could take a few blows, but now, she'd had enough. If they are going to lock her up like this, the least they can do is leave her in peace. "I was taken here by the same men you killed that day. They were to escort me to Konoha Village because I didn't know a thing or two about where this place is. I know nothing about anything. I just take insults. Do chores. Take more insults and then do more chores."  
"What, now you want me to believe that you're that stupid?" he snapped, remembering all the lies she had told him, which he had also believed.  
"I am stupid!" she said, almost helplessly. "Because if I'm not, none of this would've happened. I'm so sorry, Kakashi… I'm so…"  
"You should be." He said, spitting the words out before hurriedly leaving the scene.

Anko stared at the map in utter disbelief. Since Kakashi was too loyal a ninja to disclose information about his current mission – the Lazarus Eye – she decided to research about it herself. She found out, however, that research materials were quite scarce. Save for an old book about rare mythological figures, she never really found anything of significant relevance.

According to the said book, which was written by a traveler from several decades ago, the Lazarus Eye was considered a sacred gem in the northern island of Semai. The Lazarus Eye, which the author referred to in a more local name, chooses who among those from the royal bloodline was to rule in the following years. Only the ruler was allowed to touch the sacred gem, since the people of Semai believed that the gem "has the capacity to provide guidance to the one in possession". Also, in the island of Semai, the rulers were worshipped as gods, partly because of the "guidance" provided by the sacred gem.  
Based on her understanding of the written record, this said guidance isn't just symbolic in nature.

The book would've been helpful if not for one very important problem:  
Anko had been staring at the map for quite sometime, but she could not locate an island, even a village or country, named Semai.

Although it was as impossible as looking for a needle in a huge haystack, Kakashi began his search for the camp of the Shinrin Bandits. Half of him expected her lack of cooperation from the very beginning, afterall, it was her home. Despite whatever those rascals have done to her – if that part of the story were true -- .she wouldn't have reached this far in life without them. He could understand her loyalty, but the fact that she decieved her is something unforgivable. It wasn't just her fault though, Kakashi felt that he also had his shortcomings as a ninja of Konoha. He had become soft, and thus made himself an easy prey for the Shinrin bandits.

He revisited the very place where Kaiko was assaulted by her three escorts. Then he carefully traced the path to where he had seen her and her accomplice. It dark at that time, but he was able to see some footprints, mostly left by Kaiko herself. And these footprints made him skeptical about Kaiko's stealth skills… but then, maybe she's not really trained as a bandit. Maybe she was telling the truth, her role with the bandits merely involved domestic chores.

Realizing his thoughts, Kakashi groaned. So now, his wretched little brain is convincing him to believe her little tale.

She virtually dug the entire library for old maps. A small voice at the back of her head kept urging her to continue the research, despite the previous dead-end. And her gut feeling was right. Locating a yellowish map with torn edges, she compared it with the latest map. There it was, the island of Semai.  
Marching her way toward the shelves, Anko swept her gaze in search for the oldest history book she could find. _There_. She took the book and carefully scanned the pages. Nothing. She spotted another one. None.  
Anko sighed. The research only made her feel more confused than before.

Kaiko wasn't asleep. She could indetify audible sounds of movement from nearby, but, she had convinced herself that she didn't care. All she needed was rest, and that's what she's going to do. Rest and hope that she'll never wake up.  
"Kaiko.."  
_Anko? Oh.. the witty card player._ She recalled the hilarious card play between her and Kakashi, and the outrageous prize at stake. Her shoulders shook. It was funny.  
"Kaiko.."  
She opened her eyes. A hand was by her shoulder, giving a gentle shake as if to wake her up (so that was responsible for the shaking fo her shoulders?). Wake her?! Maybe she had fallen asleep somehow. And nope, her hopes of not being able to wake up didn't happen.  
"Kaiko, it's me, Anko."  
_Why the gentle voice?_ Her eyes narrowed into slits. This woman is up to something.  
"I just need to ask you something."  
She was getting up from her previous lying position.  
"Please don't tell Kakashi I asked you. He'd kill me."  
_Who cares. He'll kill you, and then me, and then everybody's happy._ She was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, hands on her lap.  
"Why are you after the Lazarus Eye?"  
She arched a brow. "Why are you asking that now?"  
"I'm just asking… please just answer me. It might save your life."  
She slumped back to the wall and eyed her. "Why now? You never asked that earlier… haven't you figured it out for yourself?"  
Anko wouldn't miss the mockery that lined her words. "Kaiko…"  
"Since you all got me figured out, this question is of no importance."  
"Just answer it dammit!"  
She jumped at the curse. Anko was serious. "Why, I need to steal it, of course."  
"Why?"  
"Because it is something they all seem to want so badly…"  
"And why did they send you and not the other bandits?"  
She shrugged.  
"How valuable is this Lazarus Eye?"  
Again, she shrugged.  
Getting impatient, Anko slammed her fist on the floor and looked straight into her indifferent eyes. "I don't think you're innocent, Kaiko, but I believe you're not that guilty either. There is something else here, something which I think you and I know nothing about."  
"That's not surprising…"  
"Kaiko, do you know anything about the island of Semai?"  
Her eyes glowed with sudden interest. "No. Why?"  
"It is connected with the Lazarus Eye."  
Kaiko exhaled. "I swear, Anko," she said in a more gentle tone, reminding Anko of the unfortunate girl Kakashi had saved, "I don't know much about the Lazarus Eye. Stealing it was assigned to me because, well, they thought a woman like me would make a good spy."  
_They were darn right about that_, Anko thought.  
Silence.  
Kaiko was watching her in that brief period, but Anko barely noticed her gaze because she was too preoccupied with her mental notes. "You do believe me this time."  
Anko shrugged. "Still a gut feeling, until I get more evidence that will prove you innocent."  
It was nice for her to think of her as innocent, but Kaiko felt guilty about this whole thing and realized that it was her turn to pay her for her troubles. "I'm sorry Anko, but I'm not innocent. I really intend to steal the Lazarus Eye. And if ever that eye gets in here, either by accident or by mistake, I will take it and leave without second thoughts. I will do that. So you don't have to prove otherwise."  
"Oh." Anko considered this revelation.  
"And I don't care if Kakashi hates me. I did decieve him at some point."  
"At some point?"  
Kaiko's eyes were dopwncast as she spoke, "My feelings for him were true."

Maybe Anko was right. He was taking things personally. His mission involved safeguarding the Lazarus Eye, but not long ago he was plotting his revenge against the bandits.  
Thanks to Anko, he was back to his real self.  
_I'm really sorry, Obito_… he swept his eyes across the monument until Uchiha Obito's name leapt up to him. _I can be stubborn sometimes…_ A faint picture of his comrade came to mind. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Kakashi had apologized endlessly, but for him, it never seemed enough. Even if his apologies would be as often as breathing, he wouldn't be able to bring his friend back.

Apologies cannot turn back time.

But he apologized anyway. He apologized to Obito for not being able to save his life instead. And since then apologies msde its way into Kakashi's daily activities. He apologized, though the words never really came out, he always apologized to Obito even for things that no longer concerned him. He apologized just to make himself feel good… and it does wonders to his mood most of the time.

He whispered his secrets to the engraved name. He informed how badly he wanted to look into the eyes of the men that used his girl. His girl. Damn. She stopped being his girl the very minute she decided to steal the Lazarus Eye. It was embarrasing, being caught in his words, fortunately Obito is his best friend. It would never surprise him. Kakashi pictured his young friend laughing, or chuckling, while teasing him in a sing-song voice: _Kakashi has a girlfriend._  
But she's not her girlfriend anymore. Even if she did try to apologize to him… even if words came – and were needed -- in that time of desperation… even if it does seem like apologizing was her only way out. Regardless of the nature of the apology, Kaiko did say sorry. Even though apologies cannot turn back the hands of time, she apologized anyway.

He looked up, admiring the twinkling of stars as he swept his gaze across the navy sky. Anyone acquainted with the Lazarus Eye would marvel at its twinkle, and how it rivals that of the stars. Amazing, really, if not for the destructive capacities it possessed. No, Kakashi wasn't referring to its mythological powers. He refused to believe that such a small thing can bring absolute power to anyone who takes it into possession. No, he refused to believe that the Lazarus Eye is capable of granting the simpliest of wishes. Contrary to what the people of Semai believed to be true, the Lazarus Eye meant nothing to him other than the troublemaker that is was. Wars were waged, innocent lives were taken… all in the name of the Lazarus Eye. He was dazzled by its glow, but the blood along its beaten path disgusted him. _How could such a small thing create such a huge commotion?_

Men, he thought, are still savages despite the aging of humanity.

A twig was stepped on.

With the agility of a feline, Kakashi hid atop one of the many trees that surrounded the monument and watched. There was somebody else in there, somebody he didn't know… an intruder. Behind the bushes? He was too careless in that little noise he made, Kakashi thought. An intruder would've been more cautious. But a friend or somebody from around here would've made its presence known, instead of hiding in the shadows.

Peering in the darkness, he could see one… two… three… passing by, hoping to remain unseen in the darkness of the evening. He could see sihouettes, but identifying their faces or clothing were impossible in that distance.

But he was able to think of a way to make them reveal themselves.

Kakashi took a kunai and threw it, not a few inches away from where the first silhouette was. Then he quielty crawled his way down the tree branch and into the bushes, situating himself closer to where the silhouettes were spotted. He once again peered into the darkness, struggling to look at the three men walking past his hiding place and sneaking stealthily (in their poor efforts at stealth) to where the kunai came from. He would've laughed out loud himself, the three stooges were stupid enough to fall for his trap. _This would be easy…_

By then, Kakashi figured, the three stooges were stupid enough to be intruders.


	8. DAY SIX II

Women share a special bond because as sensitive creatures, they tend to feel for the needy female right next to them and make an effort to help even in the smallest way possible. This is also even in independent, iron-willed women like Mitarashi Anko. No matter how reasonable she was, or how she had been trained to consider logic over emotion, it was the female in her that succumbed to the innate desire to extend a helping hand. And in the present situation, she knew she was more than capable of doing a small favor for Kaiko. She could actually set her free..  
However, logic kept drilling at her female brain by warning over and over again that this insane plan of hers would definitely draw disaster. It would take a few minutes for Kakashi to piece things together and have her locked in that cell in place of his fugitive.  
But there she was, standing in front of Kaiko's cell, mind fullly resolved, and clenching a pick-lock in her right fist. She wanted to remove her from prison, fully convinced by this strange gut feeling that she doesn't belong there, but it was impossible considering the lack of means to propel her plans. This was her final plan, either she executes this or live with that pang of guilt for the rest of her life. "If you do love him as much," she said to the other person at the door, keeping her voice low but clear at the same time, "leave this place and live a second chance." Before she could change her mind, Anko slid the pick-lock beneath the door and left.

Two out of three fell into his hands without a fight. Kakashi was having trouble with the third one… the one who introduced himself as Kaiko's father.  
"I just want to take my daughter home," the chief said, courageously facing the famous (and feared) Copy Ninja after realizing that hiding from him would be useless.  
Kakashi looked at him, the kunai frozen in his hand. The man would probably be lying, but no, Kakashi felt something true about this guy. Why else would he be here? For the Lazarus Eye? Impossible. How could he possibly know where the eye is? Unless…  
"I don't know who your daughter is." Kakashi said.  
"Oh?" The stranger glanced at his two useless escorts and frowned. "Then help us find her. She's here. I know."  
"What is her name?"  
"Kaiko."  
He could be playing him around, making him respond to his pack of lies. Kakashi knew it was safer to keep quiet, but how in the world could he do that?! For some reason, this man before him does seem like Kaiko's father… although he might be decieved by the lack of lighting. Also, his talent for weaving lies – assuming every singe word that rolled off his tounge was a lie – rivaled Kaiko's. If that doesn't make them family, the what does?

Anko strode across the dark streets, controlling the urge to go back and see if Kaiko would really leave as she had advised her to do. Well, she would definitely forget about the Lazarus Eye, right? She's smart enough to know that Kakashi would never hand it over without a fight… and she's smart enough to foresee that should Kakashi put up a fight, she would definitely lose.  
"Aaaahhh!!" she cried, trying to stop the mechanisms in her head from moving. Whatever happens, it was her decision to free Kaiko. Whatever she does to chooses to do after that, it's her decision. It's her life.. Anko only wished she would take the better path.  
She abruptly stopped in her tracks as crawling chill made its way up her spine. There was something odd about the silence, and Anko identified the feeling as her sixth sense in the battlefield. She quickly hid in the shadows, suddenly realizing where the path to her right is leading to. The monument. The evening breeze became cooler as it blew against her skin.  
Tearing her attention off the pathway, she immediately spotted somebody from afar. It could be anyone, she thought, but when a long, narrow, probably well-polished (and sharp) strip of steel gleamed in the faint light, Anko figured that they are under attack.

Unlocking herself was not easy, specially since she was never used to this form of trickery. But she was able to do it anyway, even with her hands shaking in excitement – or perhaps fear? Kaiko didn't know how she would thank Anko for this second chance… and for believing in her… and for being a true friend. She would leave this place, alright, leave and never come back. The rest of her life would be spent in hiding, she knew, but it didn't matter to her.  
But leaving would also mean no more Kakashi for her…  
Well, it does hurt, not having to see him anymore. But maybe that's the price she had to pay for lying. She should've chosen Kakashi instead of that damn Lazarus Eye. She shouldn't have feared that perverted bandit and his threats, it was obvious he wouldn't stand a chance against her Hatake Kakashi. No, no. He was a bastard. And a weakling. And she shouldn't have allowed him to trick her into stealing the Lazarus Eye. Anyway, that perverted trickster had an agenda of his own. He was going to keep the Lazarus Eye – and whatever fortune it might bring -- to himself. She should've known that bandits are not to be trusted, but no, she didn't see all that. The minute the bastard threatened her, she became an obedient, idiotic accessory and completely abandoned her love for Kakashi, and for Konoha. And what did she get? Nothing. She lost Kakashi, and eventually, Konoha. Once again, she would be a homeless young soul in search for love.

She should'nt have allowed that fortune-teller to direct the path of her life in the first place.

She had been unlocking the door for quite sometime until it finally rewarded her efforts with a click. Yes! Kaiko tried to see if the place is clear, opening the door enough to peek outside. _All clear._ With a racing heart, she quietly tiptoed her way out, and was surprised that the kind-eyed guard wasn't there.

Well, he was there. When Kaiko was paces away and kind'a decided to look back, she saw the guard sitting somwhere near the entryway, dozing off, with a few cards in one hand. Sighing, she recalled the very first, hillarious card game Mitarashi Anko played against Kakashi.

Even in deep sleep, she could've easily defeated these men… if only they weren't this many! Just after killing those that surrounded her, another set immediately closes her in. Crap. She could do this alone, but one small mistake will mean her end. She should've asked for back-up before making the first attack, but if she did that, the enemies would've made it far. They would've gone beyond their control… and these numbers would definitely be scary when given the upper hand.  
Anko struggled. She had ran out of kunai, and was forced to utilize whatever object she would pick up.

The chief knew his men were hiding somewhere, and he knew his ploy was working out. This one-eyed guy knows a lot more that he's willing to tell, and the chief of the Shinrin Bandits wasn't stupid.  
"Did Kaiko try to steal the Lazarus Eye?"  
Kakashi simply watched him, his mind telling him to throw that blasted kunai and be done with it, his heart begging him not to.  
"I begged her not to, but my good-natured daugther simply wanted to help us out."  
A groan was supplied in reply. He obviously didn't like his statement. _Good._  
"She was a good girl, you know. I realized, I have shown her less of the love she deserved."  
_Yeah right. For all I know, you sent her out to be raped. And be rescued. You made her appear like an injured little bird waiting to be saved. She deserves to be rid of someone as vile as you._  
"When she was young somebody told her that her destiny was tied with the Lazarue Eye. She was but a little child at that time but I knew she didn't forget about the soothsayer, and the eye."  
Kakashi stared at him, and gawd, his facial expression gave him away completely. The chief bandit supressed a victory smile. This guy surely knew her girl.

Understanding dawned at him. Kaiko was led to believe that stealing the Lazarus Eye was her fate… and she was determined in fullfilling whatever she was born to do. Someone like Kaiko who didn't have any home or family of her own (this guy over here doesn't meet Kakashi's standards for "family"), fate was the only thing she could hold on to.  
"Kaiko is a beautiful woman, isn't she?" he asked with fake fondness. His men would definitely take this man down… take him by surprise, hit him before he could retaliate. And this senseless babbling, this could be his – the one eyed ninja's – last.  
Leaves rustled behind him. He turned.

Kaiko was running as fast as she could, taking the less conspicuous way behind the trees and leaves. It was best to leave the place without anyone seeing her, even the villagers. The thought of leaving would also be less painful if she would just vanish, as if everything was just a bad dream.

But fate didn't want it to be that easy…

She heard a voice, so she quickly hid in the darkness and listened. The voice seemed all to familiar, and she heard her name. But it seemed to refer to her in kindness… or fondness. She took a closer look, and found the chief talking to someone… with…. silvery hair. That body and that posture, he need not turn around and show his face to introduce himself.  
_Kakashi…_  
From where she was hiding, she could identify the chief's face and Kakashi's back which was turned towards her direction. She could also see them talking, well, the chief does all the talking while Kakashi was frozen in place. What happened? What did they do? Why wouldn't he fight?  
_Oh god, he's in trouble.._  
She easily spotted a handful of the bandits, hiding behind trees and beneath the bushes, obviously preparing for an attack.  
_this isn't happening…._  
Kaiko then faced a predicament. If she doesn't do something fast, Kakashi could die. Those bastards could kill him. Trickery works well with this people. And by the looks of it, Kakashi may have fallen into their trap. She must do something.  
But if she does something, then Kakashi would find out that she escaped. He would lock her up again, or even kill her. It was impossible to gauge him at this moment, for whatever feelings he might have felt for her are long gone.  
_what to do… what to do…_  
She bit her lower lip. She could just run off, take another route and flee as fast as she could. Yes, by then she would be free. But if she decides to do that, Kakashi might die. He needed her. She must do something. He once saved her life, isn't it fair to return the favor.  
Somebody fom behind the bushes moved. Something in his hand caught Kaiko's attention. He was holding a knife. Kakashi was about to turn around. _No._  
"Kakashi!"  
Kaiko was on her feet before she could even realize, and was running toward the man holding a knife.

Anko's attention was snatched by that loud scream slicing through the stillness of the night. It was Kaiko's voice. _Damn._ She fled from the battlefield and ran toward the direction of the scream. Ironically, she was trailing the path to her right, the path leading to the monument.  
_Damn. Damn. Damn._  
Anko was among those people gifted with a sense of foresight, and at this very moment, it warned her of a huge disaster in the works.

He was swift as a violent wind, or even faster… she couldn't tell. A nearly unseen move of his hands and kunais were out flying in midair. Neither the chief nor the bandits in the darkness were able to dodge it. _He was really fast_, Kaiko thought to herself, beaming at how good his guy was. She fell to the ground in a loud crash, the kunai in her chest digging deeper into her flesh.

Kakashi was really fast that even Kaiko was unable to dodge the attack.

"Damn you!" Anko came running from nowhere, throwing shurikens, daggers and even smaller knives which she had collected from the battlefield behind her. Enemies were chasing her but she didn't care. They would serve their purpose later. For now, she was intent on saving her friends' lives.

Kakashi walked toward Kaiko's bleeding form. "Kaiko… I'm…"  
She smiled. "You were… you're really great."  
He looked at the kunai – his kunai -- on her chest and muttered, "I'm so sorry…"  
"Where is the Lazarus Eye?!" chief asked angrily as he struggled to stand on his toes. It was hard, and painful, and impossible, because the kunai hit him in the stomach. But for some reason he kept laughing like a demented man. "So," he said, spitting the words out as the pain gripped him tighter, "what did I miss?"

Tears were building up in the corner of her eyes. "I'm glad… I was able to see you again." She tried to reach up to him, realizing that Kakashi was but an arms width away from her. He nodded his head and crouched next to her. She was badly wounded, and could possibly die. No. The wound is fatal. Kaiko will die. "God, Kaiko…" he wanted to embrace her, but that could force the kunai deeper into her flesh. He didn't want that. He wouldn't make her suffer any further.

Anko, through with his killing spree, marched toward the one with a wound on his belly. She specifically left this one for questioning, fully unaware that this was the leader of the Shinrin Bandits. "You should've remained in your cute little shed." She hissed, her voice cold and frightening. "Who are you, and why are you here?"  
He chuckled. "You're cute."  
She twisted the kunai in his stomach. The chief squirmed in pain.  
"Answer my question."  
Anko was half his age but her heartessness certainly rivaled his. "You should also form your band." Her hand was slowly moving toward the handle of the kunai when he spoke again. "Okay. Okay. We're Kaiko's family. We've come to get her back."  
"Oh really…? How nice…" she said, but her voice lacked emotion.  
"Why are you after the Lazarus Eye?"  
He coughed. There was no laugh or chuckle. The pain was obviously getting into him. "The Lazarus Eye… you know nothing about…"  
"Then tell me what I do not know!"  
He didn't speak.  
"Tell me!"  
His breathing was labored. Anko would've given the kunai another jerk, but then, the wound was capable of supplying all the pain she needed.  
"Tell me!" she was losing him.  
"I want what's mine…" he said, lifting his hand to remove the kunai and then slashed his neck. Anko was too stunned by his last words to do anything, like restraining him or preventing him from killing himself.  
"Anko..."  
It was Kakashi's voice, calling her. Anko turned around. She finally remembered Kaiko. And she was wounded… by a kunai? An accusing glance darted toward Kakashi.  
"Please, Anko, find Rin. Fast."  
She was on her feet again, running for help.

Kakashi returned his attention on Kaiko,and her mumbling. He begged her to save her energy for later, but she refused to obey.  
"I'm very sorry for… taking the eye… Kakashi."  
"Shh… just rest."  
"If I do, it might be for good." She breathed in. "I just want you to.. under… stand…"  
"I do. I understand it now…"  
She blinked. Tears fell. "Kakashi…"  
"You're not going to die!" he assured her after seeing the pain of farewell in those tear-filled eyes. Running one hand over her hair, and removing the cover on his face with the other, he forced to smile. "Rin will be here. She's good with healing wounds. She was the one who stitched this eye." He pointed the scarred eye that reminded him of Obito's heroism. Kaiko tried to reach out and touch his face.  
Kakashi realized that revealing his face was a big mistake when tears began to roll down his face. He knew, she is going to leave him for good. "You're going to be okay. We'll eat more ramen, I'll cook. And you'll see the clothes I bought for you. Three women tried it on just to help me figure out the appropriate size. I'm very sure it'll fit…."  
She was crying. "Kakashi…"  
"You're not going anywhere." It sounded more like a command. But no, this time, Kaiko could never obey him. He would not get it his way. "Please… don't."  
Kaiko preferred to keep silent, not because words weren't there, but because her energy to speak seemed insufficient. She felt tired, weary and miserable. Her hand on Kakashi's face was getting heavy, she couldn't lift it any longer so she allowed it to fall.  
"No." Kakashi grabbed her hand and pressed it against his cheek. He was crying, Kaiko could see the tears… but she couldn't feel them. And then she saw it…  
The other eye. The scarred eye...  
"God… no." she said faintly, moving her fingers to touch the lower end of the line over Kakashi's eye.  
_It was the eye that never weeps…_  
The sensation vanished. Kaiko was unable to feel the scar with her fnger but it was there, grinning at her, mocking her. It was all wrong… she was wrong.  
Her grasp with life was slipping fast. Her eyes stared past him, something Kakashi had known all too well after seeing it a lot of times. She was going… leaving… "Kaiko I'm sorry. I'm very sorry for everything. For hurting you. For this."  
Kaiko heard the soothsayer say: "Find the eye that never weeps and you will find your place". All this time, that eye had been with her, patiently waiting. It was she who focused her eye on other things, on other matters, occupying herself with other problems. She was too busy to notice. Kakashi was her home. He was the home she had longed for and dreamed about.  
"I love you." She whispered.  
And the last words had been said.

Rin looked at Kakashi and the body he was cradling in his lap. Afterwards, she noticed kunai stuck to the body. _Kunai?!_ She blinked her eyes, hoping that would change the faulty image, but it didn't. The weapon that killed the body was definitely a kunai, not a dagger, not an unknown killing instrument made by some vagabond or foreign blacksmith. A kunai. From a ninja… of Konoha Village?  
"Kakashi."  
He looked up, his face visible even in the faint moonlight.  
"Kakashi…. I….."  
"Kaiko's gone." He said, his voice faltering.

* * *

fW woah... hang on people. we have one more chapter to go! 


	9. EPILOGUE

**EPILOGUE :  
The Story of the Lazarus Eye**

More than a month later, a visitor was spotted in the peaceful village of Konoha. It was an old woman… perhaps around seventy or beyond. It could've been just another friendly visitor from a harmless land, except for the fact that she goes around asking people about someone named Kaiko.

It did not take long before this information reach the copy ninja's ears.

"Asumaaaaaaa!!!"  
The ninja being summoned lifted his head and saw Mitarashi Anko running towards him. "Hey, Anko."  
"Hey," she said after a series of gasps. Anko struggled for air, her hands braced on her knees as she satisfied her need to breathe normally.  
"What's with the waving and running and calling out my name like that?"  
She straightened up. "Have you seen Kakashi?"  
"Oh. He was here awhile ago. But he just left after the morning ceremonies."  
"Thanks." She was about to run off when a hand on her shoulder grabbed her in place.  
"I think he's still… mourning. It would be best to just let him be for awhile, Anko."  
"I know. But pressing matters are at hand." She looked at him with pleading eyes. "I'm sorry but I really, really, REALLY need to find him quick!"  
He released her and like a rock on a slingshot, Anko bolted and disappeared like some swift feline from the savannahs.

Kakashi was about to leave, Anko was lucky to arrive just in time. "Kakashi!"  
His shoulders jumped.  
"I've been running around Konoha looking for you."  
"Why, I'm honored."  
Anko rolled her eyes. "This is very important, Kakashi…. It's about Kaiko."  
For a moment, the copy ninja stiffened, his eyes wandering off to a time he was struggling to forget. After a period of silence, when Anko was convinced it was best to follow Asuma's advice, Kakashi finally cleared his throat to speak. The words came low, soft, and tinged with pain. She shouldn't have brought her up, but it was necessary. "What about her?"  
Kakashi couldn't even mention her name. It was too painful, he still blamed himself for her death.  
"There was an old lady looking for Kaiko."  
"Why?"  
"I don't know. I left her at my house, begged her to wait until I come back with you."  
He looked away. "Why didn't you tell her the entire story?"  
He's attempting to dodge this, Kaiko thought. And she, Mitarashi Anko, had no patience with cowards. "Hey… hey!" She chased his gaze, moving along as he tried to avoid looking at her. "Kakashi! You need this. You need a closure. Everyone mourns over the death of a loved one, but without any closure, you'll be stuck behind that obstacle. You should talk to her!"  
"I.. can't."  
"Yes you can." She gave a friendly slap on his arm. "You're the famous Copy Ninja of Konoha for crying out loud!"  
"Anko…"  
"You can definitely do this."  
He exhaled. "And tell her that I killed Kaiko, yeah right."  
Irritated, Anko vigorously scratched the back of her head. "First, find out who this old woman is. She could probably fill you in with the missing pieces of that Lazarus Eye case."  
"That mission is over, Anko."  
"But that doesn't mean you can't learn more."  
He sighed. Anko was too persuasive, and she's not planning to stop anytime soon. "Okay."

The walk to Anko's flat was shorter that usual, despite Kakashi's slow pace. He was hoping for more time to sort out his thoughts, but the brief walk provided little time for that. Besides, there weren't much to sort out anyway. He simply wanted to prolong the encounter as much as he could. And the very annoyed Anko knew it.  
"Okay. Here we are." She said with a theatrical raising of hands as she presented her home.  
"Yipee..." Kakashi coldly said.  
She opened the door wide enough (and soundly enough) for the visitor to realize their arrival. Kakashi immediately spotted the said lady, sitting on one of Anko's hard (possibly uncushioned) single couches. She was facing the doorway, giving Kakashi an entire glimpse of her: silver-white hair with uneven distribution of ash-gray strands, lined and terribly wrinkled skin that looked almost bone-white, small brown eyes that almost disappeared beneath flabs of sagging dry skin. She was old to the point that guessing her age was impossible… and she looked so frail, although she was able to travel to Konoha on her own.  
"I'm sorry we took so long. I was running across town looking for this guy over here"  
She smiled. "I understand." Her voice was unbelievably clear. And her gaze was surprisingly hard, Kakashi realized when he looked at the visitor and found her staring at him. She was smiling, but her eyes doesn't seem happy at all.  
"This is Hatake Kakashi, the one I told you about."  
She bowed her head. "Thank you for saving Kaiko's life."  
Anko forced Kakashi to one of her uncushioned couches and excused herself. "I'll see if there's anything edible in there." She shot a warning look at Kakashi before leaving the scene.  
It was one of the most uncomfortable moments of his life: sitting there, speechless beneath the old woman's scrutiny.  
"Did she steal the Lazarus Eye?"  
Kakashi was half-stunned, half-relieved when the old woman finally broke the uneasy silence hanging in the air. But then, she could've chosen a safer topic. He desperately needed to breathe.  
"She did try."  
Understanding seemed to have dawned on the stanger's features when her expression softened into something a little less hard. "I visited the shed of the Shinrin bandits when I heard about their disappearance, and it was true."  
"How did you know they were here?"  
"Because I know the Lazarus Eye is here."  
Kakashi bit his lip. The old woman studied him intently.  
"Do you know anything about it?"  
He didn't answer. Kakashi felt it was risky to let this woman know more that she should. And precisely guessing the reason behind his silence, the old woman volunteered to answer the question herself. "People chase it… because it was believed to possess the incredible capacity to grant one wish. There were no borders, no limitations. So people from anywhere in the world searched for the Lazarus Eye, although they clearly possessed not a single idea of where it is. They fought for it with only a handful of rumors leading their path."  
"Very few people know the tragic history of the Lazarus Eye. Its pursuers were clueless about the price the eye requires."  
With that, Kakashi found his voice. "Price…?"  
"The Lazarus Eye can grant anything, but it demands an equally great price in exchange. Restoration is the secret of the Lazarus Eye. If one craves for money, one must offer poverty. For immortality, death… glory, shame. That is how it works."  
Kakashi nodded.  
"It was kept in Semai because of its incredible, and devastating, powers. Rulers of that land were chosen from a particular bloodline, and it was the Lazarus Eye that symbolized their leadership. Aside from ruling the entire island, leaders of Semai also served as guardians of the eye. Because of that, the Lazarus Eye was respected, feared, and protected."  
"But why did it vanish?" he was referring to the island that was erased from the face of the earth several years past.  
"One ruler dared to challenge the power of the Lazarus Eye." The old woman answered almost instantly. "Obsessed with superficial beauty, she brewed a civil war and caused senseless deaths…"  
He cut her short, "For beauty that never fades..."  
She nodded slowly. "The island was wiped out, and was eventually erased. Some say it was because of the power of the eye. Some say it was the punishment of God to those who attempted to play His role. Some say natural disasters occurred that day, and erased the island for good."  
"How was the Lazarus Eye found?"  
"A handful of people was able to live through…"  
Kakashi sensed the old woman wouldn't go any further, but there were more questions to ask… too many that he couldn't decide where to begin. "Why are you looking for Kaiko?"  
"She was family. My family."  
Yeah, right. Kakashi looked away. The last person who claimed to be Kaiko's relative was a bloody liar… and the lie easily rolled off his tongue, like a spit of saliva. He's thriough with lies. The girl is dead (well, it was HE who killed her). The last thing they could do is to let her rest.  
The woman stood up.  
Kakashi looked at her.  
Anko arrived with a greeting and a handful of food.  
"Oh, it is alright, I am just about to leave…"  
"Leave?!" Anko shot Kakashi an accusing look.  
"Leave?" Kakashi asked her back.  
"Yes. And nobody ever asked me why I am here.."  
"No one?!" Anko shot him another accusing look. If those stares were daggers, he would've died there, on that uncomfortable little couch. The old woman exhaled. "I wish to see my Kaiko for the last time… before I leave."  
Kakashi was on his toes, avoiding another one of those glances from Anko (actually there were none at that time). "I will take you there… but it would be a bit of a stroll from here."  
"I can do that." She said proudly.  
Kakashi nodded and started for the door. Before closing the door, he remembered Anko and the food she had bothered to prepare. "Ja ne." he said."and thanks.."  
"Be nice." She said, the shrugged as she looked at the food.

Kakashi was amazed. The woman could match his paces if she wanted to. Her legs, despite that age, are quite sturdy and capable.  
"You do not believe me, do you?"  
He shrugged. "There was another person who claimed to be family with Kaiko. I assume you know him."  
"Ah. Hagare."  
"Who--?"  
"The leader of the Shinrin Bandits. He was Kaiko's father."  
They have reached the monument in the most inappropriate time. He wanted to ask more questions, but the lady looked as though she wasn't going to answer anymore. The minute she spotted the medium-sized rock not far from where the huge one with engraved symbols was located, she knew her daughter was there. Her long, lost daughter.  
Facing the grave and hoping the spirit of her daughter was still there, she knelt down. "I'm here." She murmured. And a series of apologies followed. She was sorry for leaving her under the care of his brute, heartless father. She was sorry for leaving. She was sorry for not being able to create a normal family for her. She was sorry for not letting her know that she was indeed her true mother. She was sorry for being so vain and selfish, for sacrificing Kaiko's only home in exchange for her egoistic satisfactions. She was sorry for being a bad mother, and for picking the equally worst father in the world. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.  
Perhaps that's what life really is about… making apologies when its too late to be forgiven.  
"And this is farelwell, my dear." She whispered. "I'm sure that man over there would take very good care of you." She struggled on her feet.  
And "that man over there" was staring at her, full of questions in his eyes.  
"How can you be her mother?" he asked, noticing a few resemblance between this old woman over here and his beloved Kaiko.  
She did not answer. Instead, he asked the curious young man to walk with her.

The walk was silent, although Kakashi's mind was busy spinning questions. He was curious alright, but was unable to voice out a single word. The old lady, he noticed, seemed to have become weaker and weaker as they walked father into the borders of Konoha. Her steps are slow, and he was trying desperately to lessen his quick, distance-eating strides just to match hers. Her erect stature was also affected. The father they walked, the more hucnhed she became. And he was puzzled… until he finally realized….  
The Lazarus Eye was kept within the walls of the Hokage's sanctuary. And they are walking father and farther away from the village.  
He looked at the woman. Was she…?  
The pacing stopped. They have reached the borders of Konoha Village.  
"Well, this is it…" even her voice had lost its clarity. It was as if ten years of her life have passed during their walk.  
"Do you believe me now?" she asked as she slowly turned around and looked at his surprised face.  
He nodded.  
"Good." She turned to face the road once again. "Then I can leave."  
"Why did you do it?"  
The woman paused to think. "Why did I…." she frowned, then felt the urge to cry but used all of her strength to suppress it. "Why did I… Why did I…"  
A minute of silence.  
"Aggression is the price of youth. You desire everything, and grow restless unless you have it when you want it. Youth represents courage, but a courage without further thought." She sighed. "Remember this young man, reason is the most difficult lesson from life. You should know your limitations and accept what you can and can't have. Youth isn't some sort of magic that is capable of fullfilling your every wish. Reasons must prevail. Truths. Values. These are things that will hinder your desires and aggressions."  
Kakashi frowned. His question remained unanswered.  
"I did it… because I was a vain and impetuous child." She paused. "And I have measured people with the use of my sight, so I naturally did not want people to find me lacking when they do the scaling. But it all ended… when I fell in love and unfortunately lost the stone. I aged. Drastically. And he changed. So I left. And I left my daughter behind."  
Kakashi finally understood her story. The missing pieces were finally found.  
"Consider the people around you as indispensible." She advised without glancing back. "Don't be like me."

Kakashi was sitiing next to Kaiko's grave, thinking about the heap of information the old woman have previously unloaded. Anko was right, understanding things better would help him find a closure. Yes, he still blames himself for Kaiko's tragic death, but after talking to the old woman he realized that forgiving himself was possible. "I'm sorry Kaiko. I was wrong. I judged you. I shouldn't have hurt you like that. You could've been happier with me… with us. And it's my fault that you can't be here anymore… but we all made our mistakes. I hope you can forgive me, because I have forgiven you. It was easy, really, because you're so special to me. It's tragic that we cannot go back to the past and change everything." He exhaled and decided to lie on the ground. "I miss you. A lot. Visit me every once in a while, okay? Please. Even if you still hate me and you're just there to scare me a bit…" he chuckled. "I really don't care. And you know I don't easily get scared. And I won't be terrified of you, you know. So you can try to scare me, I don't mind. Just visit me once in a while…"  
He stared at the clear blue sky. The sun was up. The clouds were crawling. Birds were chirping. Stray leaves danced in the gentle breeze. He removed the cover that hid half of his face. "I should be in the academy, Kaiko, but I don't want to leave this place. I don't want to talk to anybody. I want to stay here with you. But I can't do that, right? I have to go back to my life." He closed his eyes. "I have always wished for a different life, well, I used to. But then I met you, and it doesn't matter anymore. This life is fine. I'm thankful for us."  
The wind flew and circled over him with a faint whisper. The copy ninja opened his eyes. She was there, visiting, and he felt it. When the gentle breeze touched his face, he was cretain he heard her whsiper, "I love you".

Anko stared at the glittering cyrstal in her hand. The Lazarus Eye. It was her first time to actually hold this precious little gem with her own hands, and it was tragic that she would be the last.  
"Kakashi," she cast a sidewise glance toward the one-eyed copy ninja. "Are you sure about this?"  
He had been quiet the whole time, and the silence made her very uneasy. Typical Kakashi, maintaining a zipped mouth when he should. After convincing the Hokage that it was for the good of everyone, Kakashi snatched her from breaktime and volunteered her help in this brief mission. They were to destroy the Lazarus Eye so that no one would be able to use its power.  
"Kakashi, are you sure the Hokage allowed you to destroy this? I get the feeling that you took this without permission."  
"I didn't steal it."  
Something in his tone warned Anko to press further, so she didn't. Moments of silence passed until they reached the edge of land and found themselves standing face to face with blue water and clear skies. "There has to be someone here..."  
Anko frowned. "What?"  
"We're going to Semai."  
"Huh? How?"  
Kakashi kept quiet. They waited, the Hokage told him someone would take him to where the island was. They could be early, and that's not a bad thing.  
"Hey,"  
He glanced to his side and found Anko sitting on the sand. "Sit down. The sand is really warm.. it fells good. And will you relax a bit?"  
He surveyed the still waters one last time before finally satisfying Anko's request. He couldn't relax, though. Anything could happen, and god-knows-where that cursed boat is.  
"So you're taking it back home?"  
He nodded, eyes still running over the scenery before him.  
"Okay. So how do we destroy it?"  
He jumped. He was too preoccupied with a lot of things that he forgot one very important thing: destroying the eye. "I forgot about that." He laughed.  
She was frowning. "How do we destroy it?" Kakashi was on his feet, walking ailmessly and obviously looking for something. Far ahead was a huge rock, Anko saw him walk toward that rock and smashed the sacred gem against it. Then he retraced his steps. "Wow." Anko looked at the fragmented gem that Kakashi showed in his palm. "I still can't believe you're really doing this… and I'm not convinced that you were able to make the Hokage agree with you." He closed his open palm and clenched the fragments in his fist. "It's the only way to stop it, Anko." "I wonder what Kaiko would've done is she were here…" the thought was supposed to remain unspoken, but in the silence of the oceanside, Kakashi was capable of hearing it loud and clear. "Oops.." "She would've agreed with me, I think." Kakashi told her.  
Silence. Kakashi rose from deep thought when a figure emerged from afar. It should be their boat, he thought, watching the figure move slowly toward land.  
"Hey, is that what we're waiting for?"  
He nodded.

Before leaving the light-haired yung man, she left one important message. She made sure the man understood her, and was certain he would comply with her last wish. But then, she's still alive, isn't she? Why haven't he destroyed the Lazarus Eye? Why didn't he keep his promise?  
Nostalgi came to her as the wind blew and tousled her long, white hair. She remembered the island, the people, the eye… she even recalled the beautiful face that stared back at her every morning in that huge, clear, looking glass. She made a mistake, thinking that such beauty would be forever restored. She sacrificed innocentlives for such a selfish reason, and now, look at her, an old hag with guilt and memories on her shoulders. She deserved to be tortured, but now, she was tired. Again, it was selfish of her, but she wanted to suffer no more and finally rest eternally. The death she once feared was the only friend left by her side. And she had longed to embrace this friend, but the Lazarus Eye wouldn't allow her to.  
The grass underneath her was damp, she could feel a certain coolness creeping up to her. She filled her lungs with fresh air, then closed her eyes. It felt good.. it felt good.. it felt good…  
"Mother…"  
_Kaiko..?_  
She was chuckling. "Good morning mother! You seem very tired…"  
_I am tired…very tired…_ She recalled the days when she and Kaiko scrubbed the floors and cooked food in the house of the Shinrin bandits. By then she was beyond a hundred years old, and with the Lazarus eye missing, her aging continued. But at that time, she didn't care one bit about the Lazarus Eye… all she craved for was to be free from the clutches of the bastard that was Kaiko's father.. the bastard who despised her after realizing her little secret.  
Kaiko was beside her, running one hand over her hair. "It'll be over soon, mother… I promise."

Kakashi looked at the Lazarus Eye in his hand. "it's amazing how small, light things can become such heavy burdens."  
Anko nodded.  
"We should give it back to where it truly belonged."  
"Yes, we should."  
This is for you Kaiko… he released the fragments and scattered them across the water with a silent wish that the trouble brought by the eye ends here. Then he felt a certain warmth around his shoulders, like in an embrace. _Kaiko._  
_It all ends here, my love._

And eternal rest was finally granted to the old monarch of Semai island.

* * *

author's notes  
Lazarus is a biblical character from the New Testament who had been dead for three days but was resurrected by Jesus Christ. Because of this, the name was often attached to resurrection or restoration, and this is also the reason why I chose to name the gem as such.  
Many thanks to the Naruto-addict fenjien ren for the useful info. And thank you for sticking with me until the last chapter. Sure hope you enjoyed it. 

SPOILERS: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!  
Uchiha Obito and Rin were Kakashi's team mates in their neophyte years (like Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura). Obito (who was a lot like Naruto) saved Kakashi (who may be compared to Sasuke) from an explosion which would've killed him. I think it was really meant for Kakashi, but since Obito saved his life, he was the one who got killed instead. The "sharingan eye" – a characteristic of those from the Uchiha clan – was given to Kakashi by Obito as a "parting gift" (remember that Obito is an Uchiha). Aside from that, Kakashi's tardiness and outrageous excuses - even his obsession with naughty novels - were also derived from the late Obito.


End file.
